Modest progress on widening access

Thursday, 11 December 2003 6:33 AM

Elite British universities have made modest progress in attracting new first degree entrants from the working class over the last year, according to new research.

But for leading universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, there was no striking increase in the number of entrants from the lowest socio-economic groups.

Oxford and Cambridge took only nine per cent of students from the working classes.

Other universities such as Bristol, Durham, Newcastle and St Andrews fell short of targets for widening access.

The research, undertaken by the Higher Education Funding Councils for England, measured performance in the areas of widening participation, student retention, learning and teaching output, research and eventual employment.

The study found that over a quarter (25.8 per cent) of entrants on first degree courses came from the lowest three socio-economic classes compared with 25.4 per cent year on year. These classes make up 40 per cent of the population.

Overall, 86 per cent of entrants to first degree courses in 2001-02 came from the state schools sector, a rise of four per cent on four years ago.

Wolverhampton, Aston, Ulster and East London led the way in attracting large numbers of working class students.

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