Schools prevent black pupils going to Oxbridge

SIR – The Labour MP David Lammy has highlighted a serious problem: too few black pupils are making the grade for Russell Group universities.

At my own independent school this year, however, four of the 15 students from the sixth form who have applied to Oxford or Cambridge are black or of mixed race. Four come from other minority backgrounds and the remaining seven are white British.

The millions spent by universities on outreach would be better employed buying places in the sixth forms of independent schools for promising state school students who fall within the pupil premium category. It would also be beneficial if per capita state funding could follow such pupils into independent sixth forms.

Richard Russell

Headmaster, Colfe’s School London SE12

SIR – I wonder how many able children from poorer backgrounds are put off from applying to Oxbridge by biased Left-wing teachers.

John M Scott

Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire