Oxbridge has learned its lesson

Peter Hitchens was wrong in his article last week about the Oxbridge war on private schools punishing families who put education before houses and holidays.

Oxbridge do not have a war on private schools. They have merely caught up with other universities in realising that, grade-for-grade, comprehensive school pupils do better at university than private school pupils. A comprehensive school pupil who gets three As without the intensive small-group coaching available at a private school is a better student.

They have invested intellect and hard work to get grades more easily come by at private schools. They also come to university with a broader and more mature life experience than private school pupils.

It is not surprising that, with the same A-level grades, comprehensive school pupils come out with better degrees.

A number of universities have informally correlated degrees achieved with A-levels at entry. The results confirm that, on average, comprehensive school pupils do better.

There is no war on private schools, it is just the outcome of Oxbridge striving to recruit the best pupils.

Bill Johns, Reading