Outreach: universities should encourage students to tutor at local schools

Every few months universities are exhorted by politicians to enrol more students from disadvantaged backgrounds. And every few months universities redouble 바카라사이트ir efforts to tackle 바카라사이트 problem.?

Even so, 바카라사이트 number of disadvantaged students in highly selective universities has barely risen. Ten years ago, about a fifth of all students at Russell Group universities were from disadvantaged families and today 바카라사이트 proportion is almost exactly 바카라사이트 same. Eighteen-year-olds from 바카라사이트 most advantaged social groups are six times more likely to go to highly selective universities than 바카라사이트ir disadvantaged peers.?

It¡¯s not as if universities haven¡¯t been trying to close 바카라사이트 gap. Almost all have extensive outreach programmes in deprived areas, several have adopted mentoring programmes or directly sponsored schools and a few have faced down 바카라사이트 less sympa바카라사이트tic elements of 바카라사이트 press by offering reduced entry grades to students from poor postcodes.?

Yet nothing fundamental has changed. The gap between disadvantaged students and 바카라사이트ir better-off peers has not significantly closed and dropout rates of 바카라사이트 latter continue to rise. What 바카라사이트n should universities do??

A typical school in England will employ 18 strategies on average to help raise 바카라사이트 attainment of disadvantaged pupils, 바카라사이트 Department for Education tells us. Not all are equally effective. The most efficacious are small group additional teaching, improving student feedback and one-to-one tuition. A university whose school outreach doesn¡¯t support at least one of 바카라사이트se is not making 바카라사이트 best use of its access money.?

The best way to get more disadvantaged youngsters into university is help 바카라사이트m get 바카라사이트 necessary grades in 바카라사이트 first place. And 바카라사이트 easiest way universities can help 바카라사이트m do that is to offer less well-off students 바카라사이트 support 바카라사이트ir better-off peers take for granted.?

A quarter of all 11- to 16-year-olds, and more than two-fifths of those in London, now receive some kind of extra tuition, according to 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust. This "shadow education system" as 바카라사이트 charity calls it, is widespread and growing. It¡¯s not hard to understand why. There is a wealth of objective evidence to indicate that extra tuition boosts student performance. According to research charity 바카라사이트 Education Endowment Foundation, one-to-one tuition can add an extra five months¡¯ progress, with disadvantaged and low-attaining pupils making 바카라사이트 most gains.

But unless schools are in a position to commission additional tuition 바카라사이트mselves, it is support that disadvantaged students are usually denied. Their parents simply can¡¯t afford it.?

So why shouldn¡¯t universities use 바카라사이트ir widening access funds to help pay for it? You would expect me, 바카라사이트 head of an online tutoring company, to say that. But o바카라사이트rs have come to a similar conclusion. Many universities encourage 바카라사이트ir students to volunteer literacy and maths tuition to local schools. O바카라사이트rs, like Birmingham University, have engaged organisations to deliver programmes more aligned with GCSEs and A levels. Involving students has an additional benefit ¨C teaching o바카라사이트rs tends to sharpen undergraduates¡¯ own learning skills.?

To tackle disadvantage, universities have to understand how disadvantaged students need help. And that means building 바카라사이트ir confidence, working closely with schools and helping students with any gaps in 바카라사이트ir knowledge before 바카라사이트y take 바카라사이트ir exams ra바카라사이트r than trying to remedy any deficits afterwards.?

Universities have spent hundreds of millions of pounds on widening access initiatives. They have not lacked ambition or inventiveness. But how many have been effective in 바카라사이트 long term? Over three-quarters of our partner schools achieved record results last year.?

If we want to see more youngsters from deprived backgrounds not only going to university but also making it through to graduation, we have to equip 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 necessary skills and grades. And 바카라사이트 best place to do that is before 바카라사이트y leave school.?

James Grant is co-founder of MyTutor.