OFFA – Universities should do more to help disadvantaged students

The UK’s top universities should do more to help pupils in poor areas of the country obtain places at their institutions, according to Professor Les Ebdon, the Director of the Office for Fair Access (OFFA).

Despite a continued increase in the number of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds gaining places at the country’s top universities, Professor Ebdon noted that there is “much more to be done”, adding: “Raising the attainment of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds is crucial”.

This is supported by new research by the Sutton Trust which shows that there is approximately a two year and nine month disparity between the attainment level for reading, maths and science of pupils from poor backgrounds and their wealthier counterparts.

In response to these findings, Sir Peter Lampl, the founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust, commented that: “It is staggering that at age 16 bright but poor pupils lag behind their rich classmates by almost three years”.

Professor Ebdon’s comments also follow the release of OFFA’s new guidance for universities on widening access to higher education.

Currently, if a university charges tuition fees of over £6000, it must have an OFFA-approved programme in place to help disadvantaged pupils gain access to study there.

Such programmes are particularly important for the UK’s most prestigious universities, such as those that are members of the Russell Group, which admit fewer than average pupils from poorer backgrounds.

Russell Group’s Head of Policy, Sarah Stevens, admits that bridging this gap poses a “huge challenge”.

However, she underlines that: “Many of our members already have extensive partnerships and outreach programmes with schools that are designed to encourage successful applications from all backgrounds”.

Ms Stevens also claims that this year Russell Group universities “in England alone” are set to spend over £250 million on widening access to their institutions.