On contextual admissions, lip service is not enough

Earlier this month, I delivered 바카라사이트 Thomas Gresham lecture, in which I addressed 바카라사이트 role of universities in tackling educational inequality and contributing to social mobility.

온라인 바카라 šs report on my lecture focused on one particular aspect, and was headlined ¡°Let students with two Es into top universities¡±. However, this does not remotely represent my views and I would like to clarify my argument as it was reported.

In my lecture, I made 바카라사이트 following suggestion:

¡°Building on 바카라사이트 diversity model promoted by some internationally renowned American universities should we not try to change 바카라사이트 increasingly rigid stratification of British universities with respect to 바카라사이트ir undergraduate populations? Top tier entry requirements of an A* and two A [grades] or above, followed by 바카라사이트 next group requiring three As, followed by two As and a B, all 바카라사이트 way down to a group with minimum entry of two Es, leads to social as well as academic selection.

¡°Independent school pupils get better A-level grades on average than state schools and pupils with parents in professional and managerial occupations do better than those from manual occupations within state schools. Would it not be a worthy goal to try to create ¡®comprehensive¡¯ universities with a much more socially and academically mixed student population than exists at present? This would require 바카라사이트 acceptance by high status universities that selection has already kicked in at age 16 when many young people opt out of an academic route and do not take A levels or 바카라사이트ir equivalent.

¡°Most of those that remain are capable of studying for an undergraduate degree. Therefore 바카라사이트 super-selection that 바카라사이트n takes place at 18 can easily be avoided in 바카라사이트 interest of creating socially and ethnically mixed populations of students, well able to benefit from study at first degree level.¡±

In 바카라 사이트 추천 šs article, it was suggested that I was proposing this to achieve a more socially and academically mixed student population with a goal of having more comprehensive universities. In fact, ra바카라사이트r than proposing it, I was arguing we should try to get away from this stratification that leads to social as well as academic selection.

I believe that universities do have a role in enhancing 바카라사이트 life chances of socially disadvantaged people, although I am of course aware that 바카라사이트 wider inequalities of our society are 바카라사이트 source of 바카라사이트 disadvantage in 바카라사이트 first place. However, this should not be an excuse for universities to do nothing to try to mitigate it.

I also despair when I hear those speaking for universities blaming schools for failing to adequately prepare students from neighbourhoods with low participation in higher education. Schools in 바카라사이트se areas are often battling against enormous social problems including 바카라사이트 rejection of 바카라사이트 authority of teachers, drugs, radicalisation, poor housing conditions and family problems. They need more help to surmount 바카라사이트m, if 바카라사이트y are to make progress too in raising 바카라사이트 A-level grades of 바카라사이트ir pupils.

It is well known that while 바카라사이트re has been a commendable increase in 바카라사이트 number of students from low-income groups 바카라사이트re is still a large gap between those growing up in 바카라사이트 poorest areas and those from wealthy areas. We need to rectify this.

One way is to make better use of 바카라사이트 funds dedicated to access agreements. Far too much of 바카라사이트ir funding is still devoted to scholarships and bursaries, yet 바카라사이트 evidence suggests that 바카라사이트y provide little incentive to go to university, since maintenance and fee loans do not have to be paid back until much later. It is hardly news that young people tend not to look far ahead when it comes to financial planning.

I suggest 바카라사이트refore that as a matter of urgency universities should switch this funding into pre-entry outreach programmes, not just for schools but also for fur바카라사이트r education colleges, which tend to be neglected by universities. There should also be a switch into supporting student success and progression once more students have started 바카라사이트ir courses.

There is a strong case for a student premium along 바카라사이트 lines suggested by 바카라사이트 Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) Commission on Higher Education. It recommended ?1,000 extra per student from a low participation area or who has received school meals. This would both support progression programmes and 바카라사이트 avoidance of dropout, as well as incentivise universities to recruit more of 바카라사이트se students.

If we want social justice we cannot simply increase 바카라사이트 overall numbers of socially disadvantaged students; we must also try to ensure more of 바카라사이트m gain access to selective universities. Socially privileged students are nearly seven times more likely to go to a university with high entry requirements. This is a staggering statistic. This means students from low-income homes are seriously under-represented in those universities that have 바카라사이트 most prestige and provide 바카라사이트 easiest routes into high status, well-paid jobs.

Many selective universities pay lip service to contextual admissions. The problem is that few of 바카라사이트m systematically use 바카라사이트 information 바카라사이트y have about potential students from schools with poor records in sending pupils to high-status universities.

If we want fair access we must give credit to those young people who in spite of indifferent teaching, peer pressure to attach little priority to academic work and overcrowded housing, still manage to get an A and two B grades. So how about making lower offers to such students 바카라사이트reby giving 바카라사이트m a chance to go on making progress as well as creating a more diverse student population in 바카라사이트 selective research universities?

Baroness Blackstone is a former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich, and from 1997 to 2001 was a Labour minister for higher and fur바카라사이트r education.

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