Grammar schools ‘boost top uni chances for poorest pupils’

ATTENDING a grammar school significantly increases the chance of disadvantaged pupils getting into top, selective universities such as Oxbridge.

According to the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), grammar schools increase the likelihood of progress for pupils from the bottom two quintiles of social disadvantage, and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) pupils.

Their report also suggests almost half (45%) of students at grammars come from households with below median income.

Other data indicates that more than a third of (39%) pupils in selective school areas progress from state schools to highly-selective universities, compared to just 23% in comprehensive areas.

A state school pupil from the most disadvantaged quintile is more than twice as likely to progress to Oxbridge if they live in a selective area than a non-selective area.

The paper describes how most previous research has focused on eligibility for free school meals as a measure of disadvantage. It says this obscures large differences within the remaining 85% of the population.

Instead the report focuses on students from families on less than median income, the first in their family to go to university and BME pupils.

Iain Mansfield, the report author, said: “Opponents of grammars portray them as just for the rich but 45% of pupils come from below median income households. England’s 163 grammars send more BME students to Cambridge than all 1,849 non-selective schools.