Bright pupils are being discouraged from applying to Oxford and Cambridge by
state school teachers who believe Britain’s top universities are full of
“toffs”, according to research.
Outdated attitudes may be preventing large numbers of gifted pupils from state
comprehensives striving for Oxbridge places, it was claimed.
A study by the Sutton Trust found that more than four-in-10 teachers “rarely
or never” advise academically-gifted children to apply to the ancient
universities.
The majority of teachers also dramatically underestimate pupils’ chances of
being admitted from the state system, it emerged, with a quarter wrongly
believing at least eight-in-10 Oxbridge students are from private schools.
The disclosure was made as the charity – which campaigns for improved levels
of social mobility – revealed it was staging a series of summer schools for
teachers designed to “dispel the myths” surrounding entry to Oxbridge and
other leading universities.
Some 2,500 teachers from schools with a poor record of sending children to
sought-after institutions will be attracted to the programme over five
years.
It comes just days before the publication of A-level results when thousands of
students predicted to gain top grades will find out whether or not they have
won Oxbridge places.
Both universities have already reported record demand for courses this year.
The sheer competition for places means the two universities traditionally
admit more private-educated students than most other institutions. At
Oxford, the proportion of UK students from state schools stood at 57 per
cent last year, while Cambridge admitted 61 per cent.
Both universities are now investing millions of pounds in outreach programmes
and generous bursaries designed to create a more balanced student body.
But today’s study suggests teachers themselves may still be acting as a
barrier to the applications process for many bright students.
James Turner, director of programmes at the Sutton Trust, said: “We all know
how important teachers are in guiding their students’ choices about where to
go to university.
“As our polling shows, too few state school teachers consider Oxbridge as a
realistic possibility for their brightest pupils. They might not think the
students will get in to the universities, or fit in once there, or they may
lack the specialist knowledge to prepare their students for the application
process. We hope our teacher summer schools will begin to change that.”
Prof Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment
Research at Buckingham University, said some teachers created the impression
that Oxford and Cambridge “are places for toffs”, adding: “Many teachers
from state schools will not have been to Oxbridge – or indeed Russell Group
universities – themselves that may colour the advice they give to their own
students.”
The Sutton Trust commissioned a survey of 1,163 teachers.
Of those, 42 per cent said they would “rarely” or “never” advise
“academically-gifted pupils” to apply to Oxbridge. Among senior staff, the
rate dropped to just 20 per cent.
The study also exposed levels of misconceptions surrounding the extent to
which private school pupils claim places.
Currently, they account for fewer than half of students at the two
universities. But 25 per cent of teachers believed private school pupils won
at least eight-in-10 places, while 63 per cent thought they claimed more
than half.
Only nine per cent of teachers came close to the correct figure.
The Sutton Trust programme, which is backed by HSBC and was piloted last
summer, will see 200 teachers attend residential courses at Cambridge, St
Andrews and Durham universities. It will focus on supporting students
through the applications process and master classes in teachers' specialist
subjects.
Oxford said the survey findings were “incredibly frustrating” but suggested
the media was partly to blame for giving a “negative and stereotyped”
impression of the university.
"These findings are incredibly frustrating, not only because state
students are in the majority at Oxford - 56.8 per cent - but because of all
the outreach work we do in state schools, holding well over 2,000 events and
spending millions on activities every year," a spokesman said.
"Sadly, just one bad headline can unravel that work in an instant, so you
can’t blame the teachers: media coverage of Oxbridge is weighted towards the
negative and stereotyped.
"Teachers play such an important role in getting students to aim for
Oxford and we do a lot of work with teachers – we send out a regular
e-newsletter with the latest information about the Oxford application
process, and every year our vice-chancellor gives out Inspirational Teachers
awards to state teachers who have supported a student through the process
and been nominated by that student for recognition.
"These findings make us more determined than ever to continue our work
with teachers. Misperceptions partly informed by the media are a hurdle we
have to overcome."
Jon Beard, director of undergraduate recruitment at Cambridge, said the summer
school would “equip teachers to encourage academically able students to
consider and apply with confidence to Cambridge and other highly selective
universities.“
The Coalition has now created a scholarship programme designed to give
schoolchildren a taste of life at leading Russell Group universities,
including Oxford and Cambridge.
Commenting on the Sutton Trust report, Lord Nash, the Schools Minister, said:
“Our school system should ensure that every young person, regardless of
background, has the opportunity to realise their full potential.
“For too long bright pupils with the potential to study at our world-class
universities have missed out simply because they never thought of applying
or knew they could.”