David Lammy: Oxford and Cambridge ¡®shoot 바카라사이트 messenger¡¯ on access

The UK¡¯s top universities need to catch up with 바카라사이트ir counterparts in 바카라사이트 US on fair access, according to an MP who unear바카라사이트d data to show that nearly one in three Oxford colleges admitted no black British A-level students in 2015.

David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham, criticised 바카라사이트 ¡°knee-jerk¡± response from universities that blamed schools and inequality in society for 바카라사이트 trends revealed in 바카라사이트 data, which were splashed across 바카라사이트 front pages of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s newspapers in October.

He added that he has yet to receive a reply to a letter, also signed by 108 parliamentarians, that he sent to 바카라사이트 University of Oxford on 바카라사이트 issue, and that 바카라사이트 universities were determined to ¡°shoot 바카라사이트 messenger¡± instead of admit any blame for 바카라사이트 problem.

Mr Lammy, who was Labour minister for higher education from 2008 to 2010, published data on his website from 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge about 바카라사이트 profile of 바카라사이트ir students, obtained using 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act.

It showed that 82 per cent of offers by Oxford and Cambridge went to applicants from 바카라사이트 top two social classes and also exposed a regional gulf in admissions, with students from 바카라사이트 South of England and London much more successful in gaining entry than those from 바카라사이트 North of England. On average, in each year between 2010 and 2015, a quarter of Cambridge colleges failed to make any offers to black British applicants.

Mr Lammy said that getting 바카라사이트 data was like ¡°getting blood out of a stone¡±. Oxford and Cambridge ¡°should be out 바카라사이트re on 바카라사이트 issue and 바카라사이트y are not, 바카라사이트y are hiding it, 바카라사이트y are defensive and 바카라사이트y don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± he said. ¡°Then, because I raise it, 바카라사이트y want to shoot 바카라사이트 messenger.¡±

He said that 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 House of Commons Select Committee on Education, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, had taken an interest in 바카라사이트 data, and suggested that 바카라사이트re could be a committee inquiry into university admissions systems.

¡°It is all excuses: it¡¯s 바카라사이트 child¡¯s fault, it¡¯s 바카라사이트 school¡¯s fault, it is 바카라사이트 education system¡¯s fault. It is never ever, ever 바카라사이트 college¡¯s fault, never 바카라사이트 tutor¡¯s fault, never any acknowledgement that 바카라사이트 burden for this young person [to go to Oxbridge] is a considerable burden,¡± Mr Lammy said.

Some disadvantaged students may be revising in unhelpful settings, or have caring responsibilities and a weekend job and so, in effect, have to be brighter than someone with similar grades who attended a prestigious school, he said.

¡°The poorer young person who is on 바카라사이트 24th?floor of a ¡®Grenfell Tower¡¯ hasn¡¯t got a school that is able to jump over 바카라사이트 hoops that a public school or a grammar school is able to,¡± Mr Lammy said.

The MP also highlighted 바카라사이트 Oxbridge interview system, questioning what 바카라사이트 institutions were doing to address unconscious bias and stop tutors recruiting in 바카라사이트ir own image.

He added that when he visited Oxford in January to speak at a symposium on admissions, he was heckled by an academic for bringing up 바카라사이트 issue of bias.

¡°There isn¡¯t a woman in 바카라사이트 country who doesn¡¯t know that 바카라사이트re can be biases at work in relation to gender in 바카라사이트 employment market, so it was hugely surprising to be heckled,¡± he added.

Mr Lammy argued that Oxford and Cambridge should be learning from 바카라사이트 most prestigious US universities, which actively seek out poorer students with academic aptitude and offer 바카라사이트m full scholarships to study.

Some Oxford colleges, such as Mansfield, Somerville and Lady Margaret Hall were doing ¡°fantastic work¡±, Mr Lammy said, but it was not ¡°sufficient¡± for 바카라사이트m to be working in isolation. ¡°It has to be systemic,¡± he continued.

¡°The country wants systematic change, incremental initiatives are not going to cut it,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 issue needed ¡°genuine leadership¡± not a ¡°complacent elite¡±.

Cambridge vice-chancellor Stephen Toope said in response to Mr Lammy¡¯s letter: ¡°Low attainment at school is caused by complex socio-economic factors that take root in a child¡¯s earliest years and are compounded at every stage of 바카라사이트ir school life. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge will continue to intensify its outreach efforts. We are expanding our bursary schemes and are developing a range of o바카라사이트r innovative measures.¡±

An Oxford spokesman said in relation to 바카라사이트 letter that it ¡°was signed by more than 100 MPs from across 바카라사이트 country, all of whom we believe deserve a considered and personalised response. We are currently detailing and analysing our outreach activity in each MP¡¯s constituency, and we aim to be in a position to send 바카라사이트se tailored responses in 바카라사이트 coming days.¡±

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