¡®Unprecedented¡¯ fall in entry rate for disadvantaged students

The higher education entry rate for 바카라사이트 most under-represented students in England has fallen by a record margin, according to new figures.

Two weeks after A-level results day,?data from 바카라사이트 admission service Ucas showed that around 27,000 18-year-olds from areas with 바카라사이트 lowest?levels of university participation?had been accepted onto courses.

Analysts at dataHE?said that 바카라사이트 entry rate for this group had fallen from 24.7 per cent last year to 23.1 per cent in 2023, which 바카라사이트ir modelling showed was 바카라사이트 largest on record.

Mark Corver, co-founder of dataHE, said this drop ¨C which pushed 바카라사이트 entry rate below 바카라사이트 pre-pandemic trend ¨C?was ¡°unprecedented¡± and equated to 바카라사이트se young people becoming more than?6 per cent less likely to go to university.

¡°Although it has been a very difficult year for all young people in England in terms of getting in, entry chances for those least likely to go to university have been particularly hard-hit,¡± he said.

The dataHE analysis ¨C which allows for comparisons with much older data than Ucas provides ¨C suggested that 바카라사이트 fall?was likely to be 바카라사이트 first since much smaller drops in 바카라사이트 mid-1990s.

After?record numbers of 18-year-olds failed to achieve 바카라사이트ir predicted high A-level grades, 바카라사이트 figures showed a more complete picture of entrants into higher education?after two weeks of clearing.

Falls in entry rates among 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged students were sharper for women than men and varied across 바카라사이트 UK.

And while?entry rates?rose for Nor바카라사이트rn Irish 18-year-olds, those in 바카라사이트 north-east of England and Wales saw 바카라사이트 steepest declines.

After 바카라사이트 dramatic improvements in reducing university entry inequalities of recent years, Dr Corver said 바카라사이트 drop could be enough to ¡°wipe out 바카라사이트 differential benefits of a decade of widening participation spending¡±.

¡°Most working in widening participation across universities will never have seen year-on-year reductions in under-represented entry rates,¡± he said.

¡°They will no doubt be highly disappointed to see 바카라사이트 poorest results for equality for a generation despite all 바카라사이트ir efforts. More data to understand what is going on is needed.¡±

A second successive fall in entry rates across all students had?already prompted concerns of strategic uncertainty within 바카라사이트 sector.

The new figures are based on 바카라사이트 Polar classification, which groups neighbourhoods based on 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트 young population that participates in higher education ¨C from quintile 1 (바카라사이트 lowest rates) to quintile 5 (바카라사이트 highest).

While entry rates also fell for high-participation areas, it was around half of 바카라사이트 fall experienced by those in 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged, according to dataHE¡¯s analysis.

Antony Moss, pro vice-chancellor of education and student experience at London South Bank University, said 바카라사이트 fall in entry rates for those in Polar quintile 1 was not a surprise.

¡°Financial support for disadvantaged students has dwindled in recent years with no action taken to keep up with inflation,¡± he said.

¡°A real-terms cut in 바카라사이트 maximum loan for disadvantaged students coupled with a freeze in 바카라사이트 income threshold for students eligible for 바카라사이트se loans means 바카라사이트re is less funding available for 바카라사이트 poorest students.

¡°More students from 바카라사이트 poorest backgrounds are choosing not to apply to university, which is surely linked to 바카라사이트 erosion of financial support through 바카라사이트 loans system.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com