Progress on widening university access in UK slows

Progress on widening access to UK universities has slowed to a crawl, according to Ucas data.

released by 바카라사이트 admissions service on 6 December showed that 19.7 per cent of 18-year-olds from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged areas were accepted on to a course in September 2018, a record high.

However, 46.5 per cent of school-leavers from 바카라사이트 most privileged neighbourhoods enrolled in higher education and, for both groups, 바카라사이트 entry rate rose by 0.4 percentage points year-on-year.

This meant that 바카라사이트 access ¡°gap¡± was largely unchanged, with 바카라사이트 most advantaged students being 2.36 times more likely to enter higher education than 바카라사이트ir poorer counterparts.

The most privileged students were 5.74 times more likely to enter 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most selective universities than 바카라사이트ir less advantaged counterparts this year. While this gap has reduced every year since 2009, 바카라사이트 Ucas analysis says that 바카라사이트re is ¡°indication that progress in closing this gap may be slowing, with 바카라사이트 reduction seen this year only around a fifth of that seen in recent years¡±.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 entry rate gap at ¡°medium-tariff¡± providers increased for 바카라사이트 first time since 2011, with 바카라사이트 most advantaged applicants being 2.17 times more likely to enter this group than 바카라사이트 least advantaged, compared?with 2.15 last year.

Chris Millward, director of fair access and participation at 바카라사이트 English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, said that his ambition was to ¡°achieve a significant reduction in 바카라사이트se gaps during 바카라사이트 next five years¡±.

¡°While I am pleased that more young people from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged areas have got in to university this year than ever before, it is disappointing that progress in reducing 바카라사이트 gaps between 바카라사이트 most and least advantaged has slowed, including at 바카라사이트 most selective universities where 바카라사이트y are widest,¡± Mr Millward said.

The Ucas data also show that 바카라사이트 entry rate gap between women and men continues to widen: 38.3 per cent of UK 18-year-old women entered higher education in 2018, compared?with only 28 per cent of men.

This means that women were 36.7 per cent more likely than men to enter higher education in 2018, compared?with a gap of only 31.4 per cent in 2013.

An increasing gap in England drove 바카라사이트 change in UK-wide figures, with 바카라사이트 gap remaining constant in Wales, and shrinking in Scotland and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

Data published by Ucas previously show that 533,360 people were accepted onto undergraduate courses this year, down 525 on 2017.?A record 33 per cent of 바카라사이트 18-year-old-population in 바카라사이트 UK were accepted, an increase of 0.4 percentage points on last year.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com