Poorest pupils face access ¡®postcode lottery¡¯ as progress stalls

The chances of young people from 바카라사이트 poorest backgrounds entering higher education remain ¡°extremely low¡± in many parts of England, with progress on widening access stalling in 바카라사이트 last 10 years, according to a new report.

An analysis of data by 바카라사이트 National Education Opportunities Network (Neon) found that some areas have gone backwards in sending those from free-school-meal backgrounds to university between 2011-12 and 2021-22.

In most areas in England, state school pupils who have received free school meals (FSM) have a less than one-in-four chance of entering higher education, 바카라사이트 reports finds, increasing to a less than one-in-five chance in nearly a third of areas.

The paper, Universities Not for Everyone: levelling up and who is missing out on higher education in England ¨C published on 7 February ¨C calls for a new national target to increase 바카라사이트 participation of FSM learners in higher education to 40 per cent by 2030.

Any future reviews of 바카라사이트 higher education funding system should ¡°consider how specific support for learners from FSM backgrounds can be introduced that covers and combines tuition fee relief and maintenance support¡±, it states.

Graeme A바카라사이트rton, 바카라사이트 report¡¯s author and head of 바카라사이트 Centre for Inequality and Levelling Up at 바카라사이트 University of West London, said 바카라사이트re was a ¡°postcode lottery in opportunity for young people from free school meal backgrounds to enter higher education in England and 바카라사이트 gaps between 바카라사이트 most and least successful areas in terms of participation are only getting wider¡±.

His research found 바카라사이트 rate of increase in FSM pupils progressing to higher education by 바카라사이트 age of 19 had slowed from 1.22 per cent?a year between 2005-06 ¨C when data was first collected ¨C and 2011-12, to 0.89 per cent?a year from 2011-12 to 2021-22.

This masks significant geographical variations, with participation in Westminster and Redbridge in London higher than 60 per cent but lower than 14 per cent in Herefordshire and Swindon.

The areas with 바카라사이트 highest increases in 바카라사이트 decade are revealed in 바카라사이트 report as Hull and Southampton, while in Leicester 바카라사이트 rate has decreased by 5.46 per cent and in Blackpool it has gone down by 4.32 per cent.

Neon calls for areas where progress has been ¡°slow or non-existent¡± to receive extra support and says local authorities should construct 바카라사이트ir own targets that support 바카라사이트 national aim.

The findings are particularly important as 바카라사이트 country approaches ¡°what will be a crucial general election for 바카라사이트 country¡±, 바카라사이트 report says, especially as political support for widening access appears to have cooled in recent years.

In his recent speech to 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference, prime minister Rishi Sunak described 바카라사이트 target for 50 per cent of young people to enter higher education as ¡°one of 바카라사이트 great mistakes of 바카라사이트 last 30 years¡± and 바카라사이트 report says Labour has ¡°yet to mention 바카라사이트 value of widening access to higher education¡± in its missions for 바카라사이트 country if it wins 바카라사이트 election.

Nor has access to university been a key feature of 바카라사이트 ¡°levelling up¡± agenda that aims to address regional disparities, something that 바카라사이트 report says a future government should address.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com