This dataset provides 2011 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 and over in England and Wales by qualifications gained. The estimates are as at census day, 27 March 2011.

The information identifies educational achievement across the population to help government resource allocation and policy making, especially in relation to disadvantaged population groups and educationally deprived areas.

Although similar estimates from the 2001 Census were provided in table KS13, changes to the categorisation of qualifications means that some categories in 2011 estimates are either identified separately (for example the categories "Apprenticeship", "Professional qualifications" and "Foreign qualifications") or are in a different category than they were in the 2001 estimates.

For more information about qualifications please see Part 4 of the 2011 Census User Guide at http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/census-data/2011-census-user-guide/information-by-variable/index.html

In order to protect against disclosure of personal information from the 2011 Census, there has been swapping of records in the Census database between different geographic areas, and so some counts will be affected. In the main, the greatest effects will be at the lowest geographies, since the record swapping is targeted towards those households with unusual characteristics in small areas.

More details on the ONS Census disclosure control strategy may be found on the Statistical Disclosure Control page on the ONS web site.