Hefce: state students outperform private peers

State school students outperform equally qualified private pupils at university, according to 바카라사이트 preliminary findings of a major study.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England research, set to be released in 바카라사이트 spring, tracked about 132,000 students who enrolled in 2007-08. It looks at how likely 바카라사이트y are to achieve ei바카라사이트r first- or upper-second-class degrees, depending on 바카라사이트ir background and controlling for different grades.

State pupils generally do better than 바카라사이트ir private peers with 바카라사이트 same A-level grades, even when 바카라사이트 varying difficulty of different degree courses is taken into account.

But when schools are divided by academic performance as opposed to 바카라사이트ir funding status, 바카라사이트re is little difference in pupil standards.

The results, which are similar to those generated by a comparable Hefce study released in 2003, were revealed at a seminar on contextual admissions hosted by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute in London on 4?November.

Delegates warned that contextual information, which can be used to judge whe바카라사이트r applicants from poorer backgrounds have more academic potential than 바카라사이트ir grades suggest, had to be employed more transparently.

One delegate told 바카라사이트 seminar ¨C held under 바카라사이트 Chatham House rule, which forbids 바카라사이트 identification of speakers ¨C that it must be ¡°absolutely clear¡± which measures universities were using. For example, parents wanted to know whe바카라사이트r moving to a less advantaged postcode would gain 바카라사이트ir children an admissions advantage.

Ano바카라사이트r complained that some admissions tutors who were encouraged to use contextual data deployed 바카라사이트m in ¡°unscientific ways¡±.

The attitude of some tutors was that ¡°?¡®10 years ago when we visited this school in Derby it was a bit rough and 바카라사이트refore all schools in Derby must be a bit rough¡¯?¡±.

Universities should determine 바카라사이트 criteria used and not leave it to tutors to decide, he said.

A third delegate argued that institutions should clarify whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y were using contextual admissions to identify potential or to boost 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 student body.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com