Drop entry grades to help poor students, universities urged

UNIVERSITIES must be more ‘ambitious’ in lowering entry grades for poorer students, a watchdog report has warned.

The Office for Students (OfS), which regulates universities, said drastic changes must be made to admissions criteria when it comes to those from deprived areas. One academic believes Russell Group universities should be pushing entry grades as low as BCC for poor students, when normally they would ask for A* grades.

Already, many universities let in disadvantaged students with one or two grades less, but the OfS said many institutions are not lowering requirements enough.

New research shows youngsters from rich neighbourhoods are six times more likely to get into a top university than those from poor areas. Today’s OfS report comes as it holds its conference. Chairman Sir Michael Barber will say: ‘We are wasting talent, denying opportunity and hurting our economy by not making the most of our greatest asset: our people.’