Universities must target more schools in poor areas to raise the number of working-class children in higher education. In spite of spending hundreds of millions of pounds each year on widening access, too many are falling through the net, according to Bill Rammell, the Higher Education minister.
The initiative comes in the wake of a 7.4 per cent drop in applications from sixth-formers in the lower social classes, compared to a drop of 4.5 per cent drop for all English undergraduates. Despite a slight rise overall since 1998, ministers are concerned that not enough is being done to raise aspirations among England's most disadvantaged young people. In recent years, all universities have actively urged working-class pupils and ethnic minorities to enter, through the use of summer schools, campus visits and by developing partnerships with local schools and colleges.
In an audit of the HE schemes, published today, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) says there has been "real progress", but raises fears that it "may have stalled". While £386 million public funds were spent on widening participation in 2005/6, raising retention rates and helping disabled students, Hefce says that few universities target schools, for fear of excluding the pupils they wish to attract. However, Mr Rammell insists that this must change. "The report indicates that we have made progress, but too many young people with the talent and aptitude for university are not benefiting," he told The Times. "I want to ensure the programmes go to those schools and young people with low aspirations."
The minister says there must be more targeting, and has asked John Selby, Hefce's director of widening participation, to chair a working group. The Government will also promote more work-based degree programmes, work with the Royal Society of Chemistry to develop better teaching of non-qualified science teachers, and work with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. In 1998-9, 84.4 per cent of students from state schools and colleges entered university, while just 11.6 per cent entered from "low participation neighbourhoods". Since then the numbers have risen to 85.9 per cent of state school participants, 27.9 per cent from non-skilled working families and 13.1 per cent of sixth-formers from the worst off areas.
But many leading research-intensive universities are still struggling to meet targets. At Oxford, numbers of state-educated students dropped marginally to 53.4 per cent in 2004-05, and at Cambridge state admissions fell to 56.8 per cent.