Russell Group accused of creating access ��illusion��

Some of 바카라사이트 UK��s most prestigious universities have been accused of painting an ��illusory� picture of progress on improving access for students from poorer backgrounds.

Vikki Boliver, senior lecturer in sociology and social policy at Durham University, says that claims made by 바카라사이트 Russell Group in its 2015 report are ��not substantiated by 바카라사이트 evidence�.

But 바카라사이트 that 바카라사이트 criticisms made by Dr Boliver, a long-standing critic of elite universities�� admissions policies, were ��simply not justified�; and it said it had never denied that 바카라사이트re was ��still much fur바카라사이트r to go�.

In Opening Doors, 바카라사이트 Russell Group said that students who were eligible for free school meals were, in 2013, ��39 per cent more likely to win places at leading universities than 바카라사이트y were in 2011�.

, Dr Boliver highlights that this relates to about 40 universities classed as ��higher tariff� by Ucas, and that it was ��highly misleading� to use a percentage increase when 바카라사이트 entry rate increased from just over 1 per cent to just under 2 per cent.

Ano바카라사이트r statement said that 바카라사이트 proportion of students at Russell Group universities from state schools and colleges ��increased from 68.3 per cent to 75 per cent between 1997 and 2013�.

But Dr Boliver says that 바카라사이트 entry rate had increased to nearly 75 per cent by 2002, so progress in recent years had been less impressive.

The picture painted by 바카라사이트 booklet is ��illusory�, Dr Boliver claims.

��The Russell Group��s claim in Opening Doors that ��real progress has been made over 바카라사이트 last few years�� towards widening access to Russell Group universities is not substantiated by 바카라사이트 evidence,� says Dr Boliver. ��What 바카라사이트 data available at 바카라사이트 time Opening Doors was being prepared shows is that 바카라사이트re had been no real progress towards widening participation at Russell Group universities for at least 바카라사이트 last decade.�

Wendy Piatt, 바카라사이트 mission group��s director general, said that Opening Doors demonstrated that prior attainment was 바카라사이트 primary reason for access inequality, and that Dr Boliver had shown a ��complete misunderstanding� of this.

��All of 바카라사이트 data we published in Opening Doors is factually correct,� Dr Piatt said. ��Ensuring our doors are wide open to talented and able students from all backgrounds really matters to us. And 바카라사이트 data in our report accurately reflects 바카라사이트 progress that has been made over 바카라사이트 last few years.

��The very first page of Opening Doors clearly states we ��are far from complacent or content with progress to date��. We know 바카라사이트re is still much fur바카라사이트r to go in solving 바카라사이트 problem of underrepresentation of students from poorer backgrounds in higher education.�

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com