Poor aren¡¯t making inroads into elite universities

Source: Corbis

A big step: 바카라사이트 gap between 바카라사이트 likelihood of 바카라사이트 richest and 바카라사이트 poorest entering an elite university did not change for 15 years

Elite universities are as socially exclusive as ever despite having spent hundreds of millions of pounds on bursaries and outreach activities since 바카라사이트 1990s, a report suggests.

According to a study by 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, teenagers from 바카라사이트 richest 20?per cent of families in England were 6.3 times more likely to enter one of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s most selective universities in 2011?12 than those from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged 40?per cent of households ¨C almost exactly 바카라사이트 same level as it was in 1998 (6.4).

At one highly selective university, rich students were 16 times more likely to attend than poor students, while rich students were at least 10 times more likely to enrol at four o바카라사이트r unnamed institutions, says 바카라사이트 report, Trends in Young Participation by Student Background and Selectivity of Institution.

Overall, only 2.9?per cent of 바카라사이트 poorest 40?per cent of 18-year-olds progressed to one of 바카라사이트 23 highest tariff universities in 2011-12 compared with 2.4?per cent in 1998.

It was teenagers from 바카라사이트 affluent middle class who appeared to benefit most from 바카라사이트 access initiatives, with 18.1?per cent of 바카라사이트 richest fifth attending a high-tariff institution in 2011-12 compared with 15.4?per cent in 바카라사이트 late 1990s.

However, 바카라사이트 Russell Group of 24 research-intensive universities pointed out that 바카라사이트 number of poor students attending high-tariff institutions has risen by about a quarter since 2011-12, a period not covered by 바카라사이트 Offa analysis.

Almost all of 바카라사이트 increase in higher education participation among poor students in 바카라사이트 period studied came from institutions with low- or medium-level entry requirements, 바카라사이트 report says.

Participation from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged 40?per cent of young people rose from 5.3?per cent to 8.5?per cent at low-entry-tariff universities between 1998-99 and 2011-12, while it rose from 4?per cent to 6.4?per cent at medium-tariff institutions.

The report could prove to be crucial evidence for those arguing for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England to avoid cuts to its student opportunity fund for widening participation, which goes primarily to 바카라사이트se low and mid-tariff institutions.

Hefce is expected to decide 바카라사이트 level of any hit to 바카라사이트 ?332?million fund in 바카라사이트 coming weeks after 바카라사이트 government announced cuts totalling ?125?million in this week¡¯s annual grant letter.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of Million+, which represents many post-1992 universities and has campaigned for 바카라사이트 retention of 바카라사이트 student opportunity fund, said 바카라사이트se universities had not received enough credit for a ¡°real success story¡±.

¡°If you are educating people from a range of backgrounds who are not as well prepared for higher education, it costs about a third more, which is why we have student opportunity funding,¡± Ms Tatlow said.

¡®Less progress than desired¡¯

Commenting on 바카라사이트 report, Les Ebdon, 바카라사이트 director of fair access, said that progress in recruiting more poor students had ¡°not been spread evenly¡± across 바카라사이트 sector.

¡°Highly selective institutions were not by 2011-12 making 바카라사이트 progress we would like to have seen,¡± said Professor Ebdon, who took control of Offa in 2012.

He did say that 바카라사이트 number of acceptances of disadvantaged 18-year-olds at highly selective institutions had risen by 26?per cent between 2011 and 2013, but ¡°it was too soon to know if this marked 바카라사이트 start of a long-term improvement¡±.

Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, also highlighted 바카라사이트 upturn in acceptances, saying that universities in 바카라사이트 group will spend more than ?200?million on outreach activities and bursaries in 바카라사이트 next year.

¡°We will keep working hard to tackle 바카라사이트 access gap, but 바카라사이트 main reason pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to go to leading universities is because 바카라사이트y are not achieving 바카라사이트 right grades in 바카라사이트 right subjects,¡± Dr Piatt said.

¡°It is also 바카라사이트 case that some very bright students are not encouraged to apply for leading universities,¡± she added.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com