Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The National Child Development Study and 1970 British Cohort Study Educational Qualifications Histories, 1981-2009 provides a continuous and comprehensive account of National Child Development Study (NCDS) and 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) cohort members’ educational qualifications histories between the ages of 16 and 38. The two data-sets are fully harmonised, which facilitates cross-cohort comparison. The main objectives of the project from which this study has originated were twofold: (i) to examine the importance of education, relative to that of other factors, in determining individuals’ chances of social mobility in Britain over recent decades; (ii) to investigate the social processes through which education actually impacts on mobility chances. More information about this project can be found on its Gateway to Research page.

Main Topics:

This study includes two datasets, one derived from the BCS70 and one the other one from the NCDS. Both are providing detailed information on the following: cohort members' sex; date and age cohort members left full-time education; type, year and date of academic qualification; highest academic qualification attained; type, year and date of occupational qualification; highest vocational qualification attained; type, year and date of vocational / occupational (combined) qualification attained; highest (academic and vocational combined) qualification obtained.

No sampling (total universe)

Compilation or synthesis of existing material

See NCDS and BCS70 documentation for the original methods of data collection