Widening participation in Higher Education
Access to universitiesThe most elite universities have performed very poorly in comparison to former polytechnics in opening up access to students from low-income backgrounds.1
|
Free School MealsAcross the UK, 5.5% of undergraduates were entitled to Free School Meals (FSM) while they were at school; this goes down to 2% for the 25 most selective institutions, and 1% for Oxbridge.2
|
Private schoolsPrivate schools educate only 7% of the UK’s children but account for 32% of students at top universities,3 and over 50% of the students at Oxbridge.
|
The achievement gapThe main reason for these discrepancies is the achievement gap. However, confidence and articulacy are also factors, as well as the quality of advice given on GCSE and A-Level subject choice and university applications.4 |
1Sir Martin Harris, ‘What more can be done to widen access to highly selective universities?’ report to OFFA, April 2010.
2 The Sutton Trust, ‘Responding to the New Landscape for University Access‘, December 2010.
3 ‘Statistics of Education’ HEFCE, 2004
4 Ibid.
