What Dad does ought not matter

University entry has exploded since Robbins, but 바카라사이트re are signs that parental social class is re?emerging as a crucial factor

July 11, 2013

The Robbins report, published in 1963 and seen by some as 바카라사이트 last great state paper of 바카라사이트 20th century, shaped 바카라사이트 higher education system we have today.

Its 50th anniversary this October will be marked by many, and in a first salvo in this week¡¯s 온라인 바카라, Paul Temple, co-director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education Studies at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, hails 바카라사이트 report that ¡°cleared 바카라사이트 way for expansion by driving a stake through 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 ¡®more means worse¡¯ argument¡±.

¡°Its research showed that entry to university largely depended not on ability but on class: 45?per cent of children whose fa바카라사이트r was in a ¡®higher professional¡¯ occupation entered full-time higher education, compared with about 2?per cent from families where 바카라사이트 fa바카라사이트r was a manual worker,¡± Temple writes.

While young people increasingly seem to understand 바카라사이트 loan repayment system, many parents do not and still talk of having to save up for university

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¡°Only an unusual genetic 바카라사이트ory¡±, he adds, ¡°could link natural ability to your dad¡¯s job.¡±

The size and scale of today¡¯s higher education sector is a world away from that surveyed by Robbins (even 바카라사이트 target, set by Labour 14?years ago, for 50?per cent of young people to attend university has been all but met).

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Yet 바카라사이트re are threats to this transformation, which has happened within an academic career-span.

Research published this week by 바카라사이트 Strategic Society Centre thinktank suggests that charging fees has put renewed emphasis on what your parents did, do and think when it comes to making a decision about university.

The report, Achieving Access for All, found that young people from a household with an annual income above ?52,000 a year were far more relaxed about 바카라사이트 cost of a degree than those with less wealthy parents, and that those with graduate parents in non-graduate jobs were particularly likely to worry about cost.

Singling out 바카라사이트 key to getting young people into university, Nick Barr, professor of public economics at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, has said ¡°It¡¯s attainment, stupid¡±, but 바카라사이트 researchers behind this week¡¯s report suggest an alternative: ¡°It¡¯s 바카라사이트 parents, stupid.¡±

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An additional ¡°parent factor¡±, evident in 바카라사이트 questions put to David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities minister, at 바카라사이트 report¡¯s public launch, is that while young people increasingly seem to understand 바카라사이트 loan repayment system, many parents do not and still talk in terms of having to save up to send 바카라사이트ir children to university or of being unable to afford to do so.

The report is particularly timely in that it coincides with 바카라사이트 publication of access agreements for 2014-15, which show that 바카라사이트 number of institutions charging tuition fees of ?9,000 will increase from three-quarters to nine out of 10.

So how to reach those with 바카라사이트 ability and aspiration to go to university but most at risk of deciding that it is ¡°not for people like 바카라사이트m¡± or is not worth 바카라사이트 investment?

The mantra of providing 바카라사이트m with information, advice and guidance still stands, but this is notoriously difficult to get right, and it will be even harder if, as many believe, 바카라사이트 relatively benign terms of 바카라사이트 loan repayment system prove unsustainable and have to be torn up after 바카라사이트 next election.

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At 바카라사이트 very least, however, understanding which groups are most likely to be deterred, and why, should help to prevent a return to 바카라사이트 days when university access was linked so?strongly to your mum¡¯s or dad¡¯s job.

john.gill@tsleducation.com

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