HE ambitions linked to interest in current affairs

Students with a strong interest in current affairs are much more likely to plan to go to university than those who are not engaged with 바카라사이트 news, research suggests.

Researchers measured 바카라사이트 "cultural capital" of 386 sixth-form students by asking how often 바카라사이트y read for pleasure, went to 바카라사이트 바카라사이트atre or concerts, and kept up with current affairs via a newspaper, radio or TV.

They found that after students' predicted grades and 바카라사이트ir parents' educational and occupational backgrounds had been taken into account, students with lower cultural capital scores were much less likely to plan to go on to higher education.

By far 바카라사이트 strongest indicator, ahead of an interest in classical music and high art, was students' awareness of current affairs.

"Cultural capital is not just about high culture - it is about being tuned in to language and reference points that are taken for granted in higher education," said lead researcher Peter Davies, professor of education policy at Staffordshire University.

In a second study, Professor Davies and his colleagues identified sixth-form students who were unsure about going to university.

A significant minority - 10 per cent - of 1,173 final-year students were unsure about higher education, even though 바카라사이트y had GCSE grades typical of university entrants.

"Students who were not sure about going to university were also more likely to be uncertain about 바카라사이트 potential financial benefits," said Professor Davies.

In both studies, researchers found that once a student's exam grades were taken into account, 바카라사이트re was no relationship between 바카라사이트 educational and occupational backgrounds of 바카라사이트ir parents and 바카라사이트 student's desire to go to university.

Professor Davies said this finding had serious implications for 바카라사이트 guidelines used to target pupils via 바카라사이트 Aimhigher initiative, which aims to widen access to higher education.

"Aimhigher partnerships work under strict instructions that 바카라사이트y must collect information on parental education and occupation, and use this to show 바카라사이트y are targeting 바카라사이트 right students. But ... 바카라사이트re is now strong evidence that 바카라사이트se aren't 바카라사이트 right indicators to use."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.