Call for new Oxbridge colleges for disadvantaged students

Director of Research and Communications Conor Ryan is quoted in coverage of the latest HEPI report in the BBC.

Conor Ryan of the Sutton Trust social mobility charity suggests changing the admissions process so students apply after they know their exam results, rather than relying on predicted grades.

“Bright but poor students consistently have their grades underestimated,” says Mr Ryan.

Anne-Marie Canning of King’s College London says improving access for white working-class boys should be the “top priority”, as they are the “most under-represented group in higher education”.

Ending the “obsession” with academic degrees and providing a more balanced approach to vocational qualifications is recommended by Robert Halfon, Conservative chair of the Commons education select committee.

“Our labour market does not need an ever-growing supply of academic degrees. There are not the jobs available and for many graduates the return on their investment is paltry,” says Mr Halfon.

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