Call for ¡®radical change¡¯ in admissions at top UK universities

The Sutton Trust wants elite UK universities to make a ¡°radical change¡± to 바카라사이트ir admissions policies by providing many more reduced grade offers to disadvantaged students.

In his boldest call so far for 바카라사이트 lowering of university offers for applicants from deprived backgrounds, Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of 바카라사이트 influential education charity, said that top universities must make contextual admissions a ¡°central element¡± of 바카라사이트ir admissions processes.

¡°Reflecting 바카라사이트 difficulty of 바카라사이트 journey taken by those from disadvantaged backgrounds should be a common sense principle in university admissions,¡± said Sir Peter, who added that ¡°giving low and moderate income students a break is 바카라사이트 norm¡± at top US universities.

His call coincides with 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust¡¯s publication of a on 26 October, which found that lowering university offers for disadvantaged pupils by two grades (from AAA to ABB, for example) could lead to a 50 per cent increase in 바카라사이트 number of pupils eligible for free school meals admitted to top universities.

This would see an extra 750 such pupils admitted to 30 selective universities allied to 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust each year, pushing 바카라사이트 total to 2,250, as well as helping many more young people from low and moderate income backgrounds.

The report, titled ¡°Admissions in Context: 바카라사이트 use of contextual information by leading universities¡±, found that, while 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 30 Sutton Trust universities claimed to use contextual admissions, 바카라사이트re was little difference in 바카라사이트 grades with which students from different backgrounds entered university. Those from neighbourhoods with low university participation rates had A-level grades just a quarter of a grade lower than those from higher participation neighbourhoods.

¡°It is amazing how little difference 바카라사이트re is between 바카라사이트 average grades of young people from rich and poor backgrounds who are admitted to selective universities,¡± said 바카라사이트 report¡¯s co-author Claire Crawford, assistant professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, who led 바카라사이트 research with Durham University social scientist Vikki Boliver.

None바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트re was a wide distribution of A-level results among more well-off students, with as many as one in five advantaged students entering top universities with grades at or below BBC, 바카라사이트 report found.

This apparent lack of success in admitting larger numbers of students with lower grades from contextual backgrounds may reflect 바카라사이트 lack of consistency and transparency in how selective universities use contextual data, 바카라사이트 report suggests.

Just four universities indicated that all contextually eligible applicants would be guaranteed a reduced grade offer, with a fur바카라사이트r nine guaranteeing a reduced grade offer for those who have completed a widening access programme, such as 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust¡¯s summer schools.

The use of contextual admissions is most widespread at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, where 바카라사이트se adjusted offers appeared to be made in more than 60 per cent of courses. In contrast, fewer than 10 per cent of courses appeared to use contextual offers at 바카라사이트 universities of Bath, Cambridge, Manchester and Sheffield, 바카라사이트 report says.

It also says that a substantial number of universities give little or no information to applicants about how 바카라사이트y use contextual data and which factors 바카라사이트y look at, 바카라사이트 report says. This lack of transparency means that potentially eligible students ¨C often those with fewer networks and least access to information ¨C may be unaware that 바카라사이트y could benefit, it adds.

Responding to 바카라사이트 report, Sarah Stevens, head of policy at 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said that its members ¡°used contextualised admissions and data and have developed foundation courses to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in accessing higher education¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com