This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Statistical information on the diploma in legal practice'.


 
19 April 2011 
 
T3/7/348 
 
Mr/Ms Derwent 
 
By email: request-66260-
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx

 
 
Dear Mr/Ms Derwent 
Freedom of information request 
Thank you for your email of 24 March requesting information on the Diploma in Legal 
Practice diversity statistics from 2005 to 2011.  I am pleased to enclose the following 
information.   
The University of Edinburgh is the largest university in Scotland and one of the UK’s top 
rated research universities.  It has over 27,000 students, and 10,000 staff.  In 2009/10, its 
turnover was £634 million. 
Please note that the University’s Diploma in Legal Practice changed title for the 2009/10 
academic year.  It is now known as the Diploma in Legal Practice Skills.  It is the same 
programme with minor changes in delivery and teaching methods and offers electives 
which the former course did not.   
 
For your information the statistical information contained in the tables below relating to the 
status of students on Diploma in Legal Practice and Diploma in Legal Practice and Skills is 
at the snapshot date of 31 July for the relevant year, e.g. for 2007/08 the snapshot date 
will be 31 July 2008.  The figures show the students' status at that point in time: completed 
- successfully completed their programme of study, withdrawn - withdrawn permanently 
from their programme of study, matriculated - still on programme as of snapshot date. 
 
Disabilities 
Question a of your request asked about statistics relating to the disability status of 
students on the Diploma in Legal Practice from 2005 until 2011.  This information can be 
found in the tables below.  As these statistics are compiled at the end of the academic 
year, the information provided relates to the 2004/05 to 2009/10 academic years only. 
 
1

You will see that I have not provided the exact number where the number is less than five.  
This is because disclosing these low numbers could enable individuals to be identified.  
This would breach the Data Protection Act 1998.  The Freedom of Information (Scotland) 
Act 2002 does not require us to provide this sort of information as it is exempt under 
section 38(1)(b). 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice student statistics: disability declared 
Year of 
Status as at 
2004/2005
2005/2006 
2006/2007 
2007/2008  2008/2009 
programme  end of session 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
1  Matriculated 





Less than 
   Completed 



11 

  
Sum: 
6
-
-

-
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Less than 
2  Completed 





  
Sum: 
0
0
-

0
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Skills student statistics: disability declared 
Year of 
Status as at 
2009/2010 
programme  end of session 
1  Matriculated 
Less than 5 
   Completed 

  
Sum: 
-
Dependants 
Question b of your request asked for information relating to the dependants of students on 
the Diploma in Legal Practice during the specified period.  This is not information that the 
University holds, therefore, we are unable to answer this part of your request. 
LLB and grades obtained 
 
Question c of your request asked for information relating to the number of successful 
applicants on the Diploma in Legal Practice that undertook an LLB ordinary or honours, 
with a breakdown of their undergraduate grades.  You also asked for numbers of 
successful applicants who undertook the accelerated LLB during the specified time period 
in question d.  I estimate that the cost of providing you with the exact information you have 
requested is £1185.   Because this part of your request will cost over £600 to fulfil, the 
University is not obliged to process it.   
  
I enclose a cost calculation showing how we arrived at this figure.  The basis on which we 
calculated the cost of responding to freedom of information requests is set out in the 
guidance which can be found by following the link below: 
 
http://www.recordsmanagement.ed.ac.uk/InfoStaff/FOIstaff/costings/Costings.htm. 
 
 
2

Alternatively, you could choose to limit this part of your request to a single year.  This 
would bring the cost of responding below £600 but within the bracket whereby a fee is 
payable.  The amount of the fee depends upon the set of information you wish to receive.  
We can calculate the exact fee based upon your direction.   
 
I look forward to receiving confirmation of how you wish to proceed with this part of your 
request. 
 
Training contract/law society route 
 
Question e of your request asks for information on the numbers of students on the 
Diploma in Legal Practice who came from the training contract/law society exams route.  I 
can confirm that for all the years specified in the timeframe of your request this number 
was less than five, with the exception of the 2009/10 academic year when this number was 
zero. 
 
 
 
Mature students (over 21) 
 
Question f of your request asked about statistics relating to mature students on the 
Diploma in Legal Practice from 2005 until 2011.  The information can be found in the 
tables below.  The figures show the numbers of mature students, where mature is 
classified as aged 21 and above on programme entry.   
 
Mature students 
 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice: number of mature students 
 
Year of 
Status as at 
2004/2005
2005/2006
2006/2007
2007/2008  2008/2009  2009/2010 
programme  end of session 
Less than 
1  Matriculated 



11 
  

Less than 
   Completed 
114 
128 
136 
141 
174 

Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
   Withdrawn 

  




  
Sum: 
123
-
-

-
-
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Less than 
Less than 
2  Matriculated 






Less than 
Less than 
   Completed 






  
Sum: 
0
-
-

0
0
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
3

Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Skills: number of mature students 
 
 
Year of 
Status as at 
2009/2010
programme  end of session 
1  Matriculated 
29 
   Completed 
148 
   Withdrawn 

  
Sum: 
185
 
Gender 
 
Question g of your request asks about statistics relating to the gender of students on the 
Diploma in Legal Practice from 2005 until 2011.  The information can be found in the table 
below. 
 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice: number of female students 
 
Year of 
Status as at 
2004/2005
2005/2006  2006/2007
2007/2008  2008/2009 
programme  end of session 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
1  Matriculated 





   Completed 
69 
74 
98 
92 
114 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
   Withdrawn 





  
Sum: 
74
-
-

-
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Less than 
2  Matriculated 





Less than 
Less than 
   Completed 





  
Sum: 
0
-
-

0
 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice: number of male students 
 
 
Year of 
Status as at 
2004/2005
2005/2006  2006/2007
2007/2008  2008/2009  2009/2010 
programme  end of session 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
1  Matriculated 






Less than 
   Completed 
45 
55 
38 
49 
60 

Less than 
   Withdrawn 






  
Sum: 
-
-
-

67
-
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Less than 
2  Matriculated 






Less than 
   Completed 






  
Sum: 
0
-
-

0
0
 
4

 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Skills: number of female students 
 
Year of 
Status as at 
2009/2010
programme  end of session 
1  Matriculated 
17 
   Completed 
103 
Less than 
   Withdrawn 

  
Sum: 
-
 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Skills: number of male students 
 
Year of 
Status as at 
2009/2010
programme  end of session 
1  Matriculated 
12 
   Completed 
45 
   Withdrawn 

  
Sum: 
62
 
Funding 
 
Question h of your request asks about the number of students on the Diploma in Legal 
Practice who successfully gained funding from the Student Awards Agency Scotland.  For 
questions i and j of your request you asked for information relating to the number of 
students on the Diploma in Legal Practice during the specified period that were self funded 
or funded through sponsorship.  This information can be found in the tables below. 
 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice 
 
Funding source 
2005/2006 
2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 
SAAS (part funded) 
67
73
79
77 
Self 50
57
53
89 
Other sponsorship 
22
20
24
22 
 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Skills: full time 
 

Funding type 
2009/2010  2010/2011
SAAS (part funded) 
74 
74
Self 71 
49
Other sponsorship 
20 
22
 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Skills: part time 
 

Funding type 
2009/2010  2010/2011
Self 13 
25
Other sponsorship 
14 
19
 
 
5

Training contracts 
Questions k and l of your request asked about the numbers of students that graduated 
from the Diploma in Legal Practice who had a training contract upon graduation or 
obtained a training contract within a year of graduation.  The University does not hold this 
information, therefore, we cannot answer this part of your request.   
However, we are able to provide you with information on students who had a training 
contract within six months of graduation.  This information is gathered for the Destination 
of Leavers from Higher Education survey which we, in common with all UK higher 
education institutions, carry out each year six months after graduation.  The below figures 
are taken from the surveys of the graduates of the Diploma in Legal Practice from 2004/5 
to 2008/9.  It is important to note that the survey is sent only to those graduates who were 
domiciled in the UK or another European Union country at the start of their studies.  
European Economic Area countries such as Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein are not 
included.  The response rate was not 100%, and the data supplied refers only to those 
graduates who responded to the survey.  
The survey date is set by the Higher Education Statistics Agency and covers one particular 
date, around six months after graduation. As such, we cannot differentiate when graduates 
found their jobs.  Furthermore, this survey does not cover students who may have found a 
training contract more than 6 months after graduation. 
Of the 569 graduates who advised they had found employment, 476 of these reported their 
occupation as trainee solicitor.  This means that in the context of the 610 graduates who 
responded to the surveys between 2004/5 and 2008/9, 78% gained training contracts 
within six months of graduation from the Diploma in Legal Practice. 
 
Ethnicity 
 
You also asked about statistics relating to the ethnicity of students on the Diploma in Legal 
Practice from 2005 until 2011.  Information to answer this part of your request can be 
found in the tables below. 
 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice 
 

Status as at 
Year of 
end of 
Ethnic group 
programme  session 
2004/2005 
2005/2006 
2006/2007 
2007/2008 
2008/2009 
1  Matriculated 



Less than 5 

Asian or 
   Completed 




Less than 5 
Asian British - 
Bangladeshi 
  
Sum:
0
0


-
Asian or 
Less than 
1  Completed 



Less than 5 
Less than 5 
Asian British - 
Indian 
  
Sum:
0
-


-
Less than 
1  Matriculated 



Less than 5 
Less than 5 
Asian or 
   Completed 



Less than 5 

Asian British - 
Pakistani 
  
Sum:
-
0


-
 
 

 
6

Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice 
 

Status as at 
Ethnic group 
Year of 
end of 
programme  session 
2004/2005 
2005/2006 
2006/2007 
2007/2008 
2008/2009 
Less than 
1  Matriculated 





Black or Black 
  
Sum:
0
0


0
British - 
Less than 
African 
2  Matriculated 





  
Sum:
0
0


0
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
1  Completed 





Chinese 
  
Sum:
0
-


-
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Mixed - White 
1  Completed 





and Asian 
  
Sum:
-
-


0
Mixed - White 
Less than 
1  Completed 





and Black 
African 
  
Sum:
0
0


-
Less than 
Other Asian 
1  Completed 





background 
  
Sum:
0
0


0
Less than 
1  Matriculated 





Other ethnic 
Less than 
Less than 
background 
   Completed 





  
Sum:
0
0


-
Less than 
1  Matriculated 





Other Mixed 
Less than 
Less than 
background 
   Completed 





  
Sum:
0
0


-
Less than 
1  Matriculated 





Other White 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
background 
   Completed 





  
Sum:
-
-


-
Less than 
Less than 
1  Matriculated 





White 
   Completed 



30 
35 
  
Sum:
0
0


-
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
1  Matriculated 





   Completed 
81 
95 
101 
52 
42 
Less than 
Less than 
   Withdrawn 





White - British 
  
Sum:
87
-


-
Less than 
2  Matriculated 





Less than 
Less than 
   Completed 





  
Sum:
0
-


0
Less than 
1  Matriculated 





White - Irish 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
Less than 
   Completed 





  
Sum:
-
-


-
 
7

 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice 
 

Status as at 
Year of 
end of 
Ethnic group 
programme  session 
2004/2005 
2005/2006 
2006/2007 
2007/2008 
2008/2009 
Less than 
Less than 
1  Matriculated 



Less than 5 
Less than 5 
   Completed 
25 
21 
16 
41 
78 
White - 
   Withdrawn 



Less than 5 
Less than 5 
Scottish 
  
Sum:
-
21


-
Less than 
2  Completed 





  
Sum:
0
-


0
 
Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Skills 
 

Year of 
Status as at end 
Ethnic group 
2009/2010 
programme 
of session 
Asian or Asian British - 
1  Matriculated 
Less than 5 
Bangladeshi 
 
  
Sum:
-
Asian or Asian British - 
1  Completed 
Less than 5 
Indian 
   Withdrawn 
Less than 5 
 
  
Sum:
-
Asian or Asian British - 
1  Completed 
Less than 5 
Pakistani 
  
Sum:
-
 
Black or Black British - 
1  Matriculated 
Less than 5 
African 
  
Sum:
-
 
Other Asian 
1  Completed 
Less than 5 
background 
  
Sum:
-
 
Other ethnic 
1  Completed 
Less than 5 
background 
  
Sum:
-
 
Other Mixed 
1  Matriculated 
Less than 5 
background 
   Completed 
Less than 5 
 
  
Sum:
-
Other White 
1  Matriculated 
Less than 5 
background 
   Completed 
Less than 5 
 
  
Sum:
-
1  Matriculated 
14 
White 
   Completed 
42 
 
   Withdrawn 
Less than 5 
  
Sum:
-
1  Matriculated 
Less than 5 
White - British 
   Completed 
69 
 
   Withdrawn 
Less than 5 
  
Sum:
-
1  Matriculated 
Less than 5 
White - Scottish 
   Completed 
18 
 
  
Sum:
-
 
8

 
Exit and failure statistics 
 
Lastly you asked for the figures relating to students who exited the programme early and 
fail rates of students on the Diploma in Legal Practice.  We do not collate figures for the 
number of students who exit the programme early but most do so with the intention of 
returning the following year and almost all of the students in question return to the 
programme.  No-one has failed the diploma in the years specified. 
 
If you are dissatisfied with this response, you may ask the University to conduct a review 
of this decision. To do this, please contact the University in writing (including by fax, letter 
or email) or in some other recorded form (e.g. audio or video tape), describe the original 
request, explain your grounds for dissatisfaction, and include an address for 
correspondence. You have 40 working days from receipt of this letter to submit a review 
request. When the review process has been completed, if you are still dissatisfied, you 
may ask the Scottish Information Commissioner to intervene. 
 
Copyright in the information you have been given belongs to the University of Edinburgh or 
to another party.  Copyright material must not be copied, distributed, modified, reproduced, 
transmitted, published (including published on the Internet or an intranet), or otherwise 
made available in whole or in part without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
Susan Graham 
University Records Manager 
 
 
 
9

Cost calculation for freedom of information request - Diploma in Legal Practice 
diversity statistics 2005 – 2011 
 
To answer questions c. Number of students who undertook an LLB ordinary or 
honours to include a breakdown of undergraduate grades of successful applicants, 
and d. Number of students who took the accelerated LLB. 
 
Each student must apply to the university where they studied for LLB, even if they 
wish to undertake the diploma at another institution.  Each university looks at the 
student records and does a calculation based on their own specific exams that are 
required by the Law society to qualify for admission to the profession (usually 1st 
and 2nd year) and gives the students an overall grade percentage.  For example, for 
all students who studied LLB at Glasgow but who want to do the diploma in 
Edinburgh, Glasgow University collates all the information and sends the overall 
percentage to the Edinburgh diploma unit once all the applications have been 
received.  All of these lists are then compiled into a complete ranking list for Scotland 
and this is used not only for allocation of places, but also for allocation of SAAS 
funding.  We do not therefore have any information on students out with Edinburgh, 
apart from their overall grade. This information is not stored electronically and is held 
on each individual application form. 
 
The student intakes for the years 2005-2011 are as follows: 
 
2005 133 
2006 144 
2007 150 
2008 184 
2009 
157 full time 27 part time 
2010 
134 full time 21 part time (plus 27 continuing) 
 
 
The total number of individual records that require to be checked is therefore 950. 
 
Tasks to be undertaken: 
 
1. Locate all individual records on 2 separate student databases and identify 
which students came from Edinburgh. This involves running programme 
reports for each year but then checking each individual record. 
 
          This will take an estimated 14 hours 
          The work will be carried out by a grade 5 member of staff at a cost of £15 per     
hour 
 
  
Cost=14x£15=£210.00 
 
2.  For the students who originally graduated from Edinburgh, go through the 
student transcripts and identify whether they undertook an LLB ordinary or 
honours course or the accelerated LLB course.  Record this info and a 
breakdown of undergraduate grades in a spreadsheet. In practice this is 
 
1

approximately 75-80% of students so this would need to be undertaken for at 
least 700 students.  
 
This will take an estimated 28 hours 
The work will be carried out by a grade 5 member of staff at a cost of £15 per 
 hour 
 
Cost=28x£15=£420 
 
3.  For the students who did not graduate from Edinburgh or where the electronic 
record does not clearly identify point of origin we need to check through the 
original paper application form. The context for this task is that the unit was 
located to new premises on 30th March 2011 and all files are currently boxed 
up. We would therefore need to sort through all of the boxes to locate the files 
and then sort through the files and collate the information as in item 2. We 
estimate that this may be required for approximately 250 applications. 
 
This will take an estimated 35 hours 
The work will be carried out by a grade 5 or 6 member of staff at a cost of £15 
per hour 
 
Cost=35x£15=£525  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.  Once all of this information had been collected a summary report would have 
to be compiled. 
 
This will take an estimated 2 hours 
The work will be carried out by a grade 6 member of staff at a cost of £15 per 
hour  
 
Cost=2x£15=£30 
 
 
 
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST - £1185.00 
 
 
2

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