Widening participation is high on the policy agenda - driven by both moral and economic incentives - but are we doing enough to ensure equal access for all?
The issue of widening participation (WP) is complex, with many different measures. This article draws together the latest statistics from the Department for Education (DfE) and relevant research from the Sutton Trust to provide an overview of the current situation.
The UK government claimed in its social mobility action plan that if disadvantaged pupils in all regions of the UK performed as well as disadvantaged pupils in London, then over £20billion would be added to the UK economy.1 However, for some of these individuals, a place at a higher education institution seems almost unattainable.
Research by the Sutton Trust found:
- 67% of disadvantaged students believed they would enter higher education compared with 79% of their non-disadvantaged counterparts
- 58% of those from the least affluent backgrounds were concerned about the cost compared with 41% of higher affluence households.2
These statistics highlight the importance of school and university collaboration to ensure the aspirations of young people aren't limited by their background, and their potential value to the economy isn't wasted.
The following data outlines the current state of play regarding higher education participation rates by…
School type
A pupil's likelihood of entering HE can be affected by the type of school they attended.3 Levels of guidance, advice, extracurricular opportunities and teacher quality are inconsistent across all schools, resulting in some pupils receiving greater access to support and activities to strengthen their personal statements.4
Data from the DfE shows a clear difference in the progression rates of state and independent school students in England who enter HE when they turn 19.5 In 2016/17, 64% of those who studied for A-level and equivalent qualifications in state schools and colleges entered HE. This is below the estimated rate for pupils educated at independent schools and colleges (80.7%). However, the gap has narrowed year-on-year since 2013/14 (from 18.4 percentage points to 16.7 percentage points in 2016/17).
Access to the most selective higher education providers has grown marginally year-on-year for state school and college students from 22.1% to 22.4% in 2016/17, but this is still significantly lower than the percentage of independent school and college students (61.4%).6 The long-term picture shows the gap is increasing, with a 39 percentage point difference between both groups in 2016/17 compared to 37.4 percentage points in 2008/09.
When restricting the data to compare only those who studied A-levels, the difference between institution types does decrease, with a continual drop since 2013/14 from 7.9 percentage points to 5.1 percentage points by 2016/17.
A significant gap still persists when looking at the percentage of those progressing to the most selective higher education providers, however. Independent taught A-level students were almost twice as likely (61.9%) as state funded school and college pupils (31.5%) to be enrolled at these institutions.
The issue of WP is also highlighted in work by the Sutton Trust, which considers the number of applications to Oxford and Cambridge by school type. It found that independent school students were seven times more likely to secure a position at Oxford or Cambridge than their state educated equivalents.7
Equal access is particularly significant for these two providers as they dominate league tables and their prestigious and status means they are respected by employers. They are also among those institutions most likely to open up professional-level opportunities.8
Oxbridge graduates account for 78% of top barristers, 54% of prominent journalists and 51% of senior civil servants.9 It is therefore vital that bright disadvantaged pupils receive a fair chance to progress to these institutions.
Region
Another measure of participation in higher education is the proportion of students enrolled who were eligible for free school meals (FSM).
Progression rates are not consistent across regions, especially for FSM students, although the results will be affected by factors such as the proportion of FSM qualifiers by area and the varying levels of affluence among both student groups.10
FSM students from London are most likely to progress to higher education, with both inner (48%) and outer London (41%) having higher than average (26%) entrance rates. This was also true for non-FSM pupils in inner (57%) and outer London (55%), compared with an average rate of 43%.
Conversely, students from South West England were least likely to progress to higher education, with both FSM (15%) and non-FSM students (38%) experiencing below average progression rates.
Entrance rates for FSM students in all regions in England, bar the West Midlands and London, lag behind the average, with the South East (17%), and North East (18%) identified as having weak rates.
Non-FSM students outside London have a greater progression rate to HE in the North West (45%) and West Midlands (43%). All other regions had below average rates for these pupils.
The contrast between regions with the lowest and higher percentage of FSM pupils entering the most selective providers was stark, with pupils in inner London (11%) five times more likely to be enrolled than North East students (2%).
Level of mobility
The latest Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education data (2016/17) from HESA shows contrasting behaviour for low and high participation graduates, highlighting a potential barrier for widening participation.
Three-fifths of graduates from low participation backgrounds attended a higher education provider in their home region. This was higher than the overall percentage for graduates (36.2%). Conversely, those from high participation backgrounds are more mobile, with 59.1% attending institutions outside their home region, which was higher than average (46.9%).
Institutions may struggle to attract pupils from low participation neighbourhoods in faraway regions, so it's important that students looking to relocate for their studies receive support to diminish discouragement by distance.
The Sutton Trust's Access to Advantage report offers recommendations for universities targeting pupils in other regions, such as:
- revising university outreach practices, paying greater attention to schools in peripheral areas of the country that frequently receive less attention
- promoting inclusivity with university taster sessions, outreach activities, open days and summer schools.
The University of Oxford also took steps to assist candidates from low income backgrounds by offering to cover travel expenses for interviews.11
A-level grades
The most selective higher education providers often require attendants to have a strong academic record, limiting the applicant pool slightly. Despite this, individuals from low social economic backgrounds who do achieve the qualifying grades appear to struggle to enter these institutions, as only 220 out of 5,000 with top grades (AAA and above) went to Oxford, suggesting there is scope for improvement.12
The report also found that applications to elite institutions differed in schools, even though pupils achieved similar grades. For example, almost 23% of independent school students attending the top five schools for exam results applied for Oxbridge compared with 11% of those who studied at comprehensive schools in the group of top performing institutions.13
It's vital that all individuals who wish to study at these institutions feel they have an equal chance being accepted, irrespective of their academic background and socioeconomic status.
Notes
- Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential, Department for Education, 2017.
- University Aspirations 2018, Sutton Trust, 2018.
- Access to Advantage, Sutton Trust, 2018.
- Ibid; Closing the Regional Attainment Gap, APPG and Sutton Trust, 2019.
- Widening Participation in Higher Education, England, 2016/17 age cohort – Official Statistics, Department for Education, 2018.
- The Department for Education state 'the most selective are defined as the top third of Higher Education providers when ranked by mean UCAS tariff score from the top three A-Level grades of entrants'.
- Access to Advantage, Sutton Trust, 2018.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Widening Participation in Higher Education, England, 2016/17 age cohort – Official Statistics, Department for Education, 2018.
- Oxford to pay interview travel expenses for low-income students, The University of Oxford, 2018.
- If Oxford shrugs, Prospect Magazine, 2018.
- Access to Advantage, Sutton Trust, 2018.
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