Statistics about educational inequality in this country always tend to shock and dismay in equal measure. And this latest piece of research from Michael Gove’s office is no exception:
Just to be clear, the overall Oxbridge intake is about 6,000 students a year. So 45 pupils on FSM represents 0.75 percent of that. These are numbers which, pretty much by themselves, make the case for radical schools reform.“New analysis by the Conservatives shows that just 45 pupils on Free School Meals (FSM) make it to Oxford or Cambridge each year. One top London private school gets an average of 82 Oxbridge admissions a year – almost double the number of FSM admissions. One leading independent girls’ school produces the same number of Oxbridge entrants as the entire FSM cohort. Just 1 per cent of FSM pupils go on to a Russell Group university.”
There’s plenty more like that in a document
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in