A study published by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that in England 58 per cent of people aged 25 to 44 with foreign-born parents progress to higher education, compared to 46 per cent of those with British-born parents.
The figures are similar for Northern Ireland, where 53 per cent of people with foreign-born parents go to university, compared with 38 per cent of those with native-born parents.
The OECD report – Education at a Glance 2016 – which analyses the state of education around the world, also noted that teachers in the UK are among the youngest in the OECD’s 35 countries.
It found that the proportion of secondary teachers aged 50 and over in the UK had decreased by an average of 2.9 per cent a year between 2005 and 2014 – the largest decline among OECD countries.
In contrast, 22 per cent of secondary teachers in the UK were 30 or younger, compared to the OECD average of nine per cent.
When it comes to pay, the report found that statutory salaries of teachers in England and Scotland are “comparatively low” at the start and end of their careers, but above the OECD average after 10 years of service. At this point, teachers’ salaries exceed OECD averages across all levels of education in England and Scotland, except at upper secondary level in England.
The report added: “Teachers’ salaries after 10 years of experience are almost 60 per cent higher than starting salaries in both countries, the largest difference across OECD countries. However, teachers’ salaries at the top of the scale are below the OECD averages.”
- To read the OECD’s Education at a Glance 2016 report, go to www.oecd.org