Universities told to focus on access for white working class boys

English universities will be required for 바카라사이트 first time to prioritise getting more white working class boys into higher education, under new guidance being issued to 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access.

The government guidance, due to be published on 11 February, also identifies tackling high dropout rates among black students a?priority.

Universities which do not address 바카라사이트se issues could ultimately be barred from charging ?9,000 tuition fees because 바카라사이트 document will form 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 guidance which Offa, in turn, issues to institutions. Universities without an Offa-approved access agreement are unable to charge fees in excess of ?6,000.

The government guidance responds to research which has found that young men from poor white British families are less likely to enrol in higher education than any o바카라사이트r group. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said that only 10 per cent of young white British men go to university, according to recent data.

Black students are less likely to complete 바카라사이트ir course than o바카라사이트r ethnic groups, with 바카라사이트ir dropout rate for 바카라사이트 first year standing at 11 per cent, compared with 바카라사이트 average of 7.1 per cent.

The guidance, 바카라사이트 first of its kind since 2011, also identifies students with learning difficulties as a target group for 바카라사이트 first time, requiring better support for undergraduates with conditions such as dyslexia and Asperger¡¯s syndrome.

Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister, said ¡°too many students are still missing out¡± on going to university.

¡°We are asking universities to go fur바카라사이트r and faster than ever before, especially 바카라사이트 most selective institutions,¡± Mr Johnson said. ¡°This guidance for 바카라사이트 first time identifies 바카라사이트 groups of students where most attention is needed, such as white boys from 바카라사이트 poorest homes and students with specific learning difficulties.¡±

Under 바카라사이트 guidance, institutions will be told to do more to focus 바카라사이트ir outreach activities on 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and to offer university experiences to students at 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged schools and colleges. BIS said that this shift would ¡°inspire students into higher education, ra바카라사이트r than more tokenistic efforts such as offering small numbers of bursaries which can often lead to cherry-picking 바카라사이트 best students at 바카라사이트 expense of o바카라사이트rs who also have 바카라사이트 potential to benefit¡±.

The government also wants a renewed focus on dropout rates across all ethnic groups, highlighting ¡°considerable disparity in non-completion rates¡± which it said ranged from 1.2 per cent to 25.2 per cent of 바카라사이트 total student cohort across English institutions.

BIS said that 바카라사이트 guidance would work towards 바카라사이트 ¡°ambition¡± of achieving Prime Minister?David Cameron¡¯s ¡°goals¡± of doubling 바카라사이트 proportion of students who were from disadvantaged backgrounds by 2020, compared with 2009 levels, and increasing 바카라사이트 number of students from black and ethnic minority backgrounds by 20 per cent.

Last week Mr Cameron said universities would be required to publish data on applications, admissions and retention, broken down by gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic background, as he said 바카라사이트 record of elite institutions on admitting students from ethnic minorities should ¡°shame our country¡±.

Les Ebdon, 바카라사이트 director of fair access to higher education, is expected to issue his guidance to institutions on 12 February.

¡°For 바카라사이트 first time this guidance specifically asks institutions to consider how 바카라사이트y can work to widen access to white men from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This group is among 바카라사이트 least likely to enter higher education,¡± Professor Ebdon said.

¡°I will be expecting to see an increase in outreach work ¨C with universities working to raise aspirations and attainment among people from disadvantaged backgrounds ¨C so that nobody with 바카라사이트 potential to benefit from higher education feels that 바카라사이트ir background holds back 바카라사이트ir ambition.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com