26th December 2018 9:00
By Blue Tutors
It’s been revealed that Oxford and Cambridge have recruited more undergraduates from 8 top schools in England than 3,000 other state schools in the last 3 years. Reported on the BBC, 8 schools sent 1,310 students to Oxbridge between 2015 and 2017, and for 2,900 state schools that figure is only 1,220. There are accusations of social exclusion and the Sutton Trust social mobility charity said that leading universities are failing to attract a wide enough range of talent.
The 8 schools highlighted for providing so many Oxbridge undergraduates were: Westminster School, London; Eton College, Berkshire; Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge; St Paul’s School, London; Peter Symonds College, Hampshire; St Paul’s Girls’ School, London; Kings College School, London; and Magdalen College School, Oxford. In total Oxford and Cambridge admitted nearly 20,000 students over the reported period with the remainder of students coming from other private schools and higher performing state schools and colleges. Oxford University has conceded that they must try harder.
It was also found that students at lower performing schools are less likely to apply to top universities, and the study says that there is too little advice for these students and universities should take that into account when offering places.
Some schools and sixth form colleges have invested in full time Oxbridge coordinators to increase their students’ chances of being offered a place, either by working on personal statements, improving performance at interviews, or just encouraging students to apply in the first place. Many schools have been doing this for years and have a track record of sending their students to Oxford or Cambridge.
Both universities say that they are keen to encourage wider access. Oxford runs summer schools for state students, and Cambridge is keen to give more and better advice for prospective applicants. However, both universities warned against lowering grade requirements.