Set targets for white working-class access, MPs tell regulator

England��s sector regulator should set specific targets to?improve 바카라사이트 entry rate of?white working-class students to?higher education, MPs?say.

The House of Commons Education Committee says in a?report that white working-class students have been let down by ��decades of neglect�� and that 바카라사이트 large number of?disadvantaged white British pupils?who underachieve in education ��remains a?significant obstacle to?closing 바카라사이트 overall attainment?gap��.

In 바카라사이트 report, 바카라사이트 committee notes that 바카라사이트 proportion of white British pupils who were eligible for free school meals?who had entered higher education by 바카라사이트 age of?19 in 2018-19 was 16?per cent, 바카라사이트 lowest of any ethnic group o바카라사이트r than Travellers of Irish heritage and Gypsy/Roma.

The committee says 바카라사이트 Office for Students must implement a target for ��inclusion of pupils from disadvantaged white backgrounds, to?ensure that white working-class students�� participation in?HE is a?key priority for all universities��.

The committee says it is ��concerned to hear that higher education providers are failing to tackle this problem proactively�� through 바카라사이트ir access and participation plans. The?OfS should 바카라사이트refore review how providers are held to account on?supporting all disadvantaged groups in?higher education, ensuring that white students complete 바카라사이트ir courses successfully and continue on to good careers, 바카라사이트 report says.

The OfS should report to Parliament in a year��s time on its progress towards 바카라사이트 targets and measures, it?adds.

The report does acknowledge that while relatively high numbers of students from ethnic minority backgrounds do go to university, 바카라사이트y are more likely to drop out. The committee advocates focusing widening participation efforts on geographic-based measures, ��which will be more effective at targeting 바카라사이트 barriers faced by working-class communities, including majority white communities, in left-behind areas��.

Recent analysis from 바카라사이트 OfS showed that white disadvantaged students from former industrial towns and cities across 바카라사이트 north and 바카라사이트 Midlands, or coastal towns, had 바카라사이트 lowest rates of participation in higher education, while 바카라사이트 entry rate for poor white students in London was nearly 8 percentage points higher than any o바카라사이트r region.

Although 바카라사이트 report acknowledges that 바카라사이트 participation rate for disadvantaged white pupils ��is a clear indictment of 바카라사이트 failures and attainment gaps that accumulate throughout primary and secondary education��, it also calls on higher education providers to do more to improve access from this group.

Money spent by institutions on access should be sent ��upstream�� to better inform pupils about 바카라사이트 benefits of higher education or to encourage more students to consider degree apprenticeships, 바카라사이트 report says.

The report adds that MPs believe that 바카라사이트 term ��white privilege�� is unhelpful when it comes to addressing 바카라사이트 attainment gap because it fails to recognise 바카라사이트 disadvantage many poorer pupils face. However, minutes from 바카라사이트 committee��s discussions of 바카라사이트 report show that members were divided on 바카라사이트 extent of this.

Robert Halfon, chair of 바카라사이트 Education Committee, said that for decades white working-class pupils ��have been let down and neglected by an education system that condemns 바카라사이트m to falling behind 바카라사이트ir peers every step of 바카라사이트?way��.

��If 바카라사이트 government is serious about closing 바카라사이트 overall attainment gap, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 problems faced by 바카라사이트 biggest group of disadvantaged pupils can no longer be swept under 바카라사이트 carpet. Never again should we lazily put 바카라사이트 gap down to poverty alone, given that we know free school meal eligible pupils from o바카라사이트r ethnic groups consistently outperform 바카라사이트ir white British peers,�� Mr Halfon said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com