Poorwhitestudents ‘miss out’ on places

EDUCATION: Poor white students are the least likely to be admitted to university in England, research from the from the National Education Opportunities Network suggests, with fewer than five per cent at the majority of institutions.

POOR WHITE students are the least likely to be admitted to university in England, new research suggests, with fewer than five per cent at the majority of institutions.

New research, from the National Education Opportunities Network (Neon), looked at registrations for different socio-economic groups, including those receiving free school meals.

Just one in five universities have targets for admitting white working-class students, it found, although more than 90 per cent are trying to raise participation.

Dr Graeme Atherton, the director of Neon and co-author of the report, said: “This report shows that, while there is some innovative work being undertaken in the Higher Education sector to address the low levels of participation of this group of students, big variability exists in their chances of participating in HE across providers.

“We need to know more about why this variability exists and do more to eliminate it.”

The authors of the report – Working Class Heroes – make a number of recommendations including setting specific targets and re-defining participation target groups.

Were at least five per cent of universities’ students from a white, low participation neighbourhood, they suggest, there would be nearly 10,000 more students in Higher Education.

Currently, Neon’s analysis has found, just over half of universities meet this quota.

These students, it said, are more likely to be taking higher education courses in further education colleges than at university.

The research drew on Ucas data from 2016/17, and included a survey of more than 50 higher education providers looking at the work they are undertaking with this group of learners.

It also examined Access and Participation Plans for more than 120 institutions.

It comes a fortnight after it emerged a hedge fund billionaire donated £100m to Cambridge University, aimed at attracting under-privileged groups.

The donation, from philanthropist David Harding, is the single biggest gift to a university in the UK.

A spokeswoman for Universities UK said: “Universities are committed to widening access to higher education and ensuring the success of all their students, regardless of their background.

“Eighteen-year-olds from the most disadvantaged areas in England are more likely to go to university than ever before, but we know that a number of challenges and disparities remain between different groups.

“We are supporting universities in their efforts to build on work that has increased the number of students from diverse backgrounds in recent years.”

Education Secretary Damian Hinds added: “Whilst it’s right that we celebrate the record rates of 18-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds going to university, there is clearly more to do to make sure everyone who has the talent and potential can thrive in higher education.

“White British disadvantaged boys are the least likely of any large ethnic group to go to university. We need to ask ourselves why that is and challenge government, universities and the wider system on it.

“Universities need to look at the data, including dropout rates, outreach activity and admissions policies to make sure they are improving their access and successful participation.

“It’s vital that we do this to make sure that no part of our country feels as though it is being left behind.”

We need to know more about why this variability exists.

Dr Graeme Atherton, director of National Education Opportunities Network.