The attainment gap between young people attending state schools and private schools – which already inhibits fair access to the country’s top universities for even the most talented state sector students – is further compounded by the double disadvantage of lack of access to work experience and extracurricular activities.
While young people attending private schools enjoy a wide range of opportunities to gain insights into the worlds of work and further education, enhancing their understanding and confidence as well as their CVs, the vast majority of young people are held back in their applications even if they achieve the required grades by a huge disparity in access to meaningful work experience.
Speakers for Schools’ research found that a shocking 50% of students in the state sector leave school without any work experience – yet this is used a third of the time to assess applications at universities.
The United Kingdom is fortunate to be home to some of the highest-ranking universities in the world. Admission to these prestigious institutions can carry multiple benefits for a young person and can help smooth the path to some highly regarded and lucrative careers. It is of little surprise, therefore, that fair access to top universities has become a focus of attention for those seeking to improve social mobility. But the odds of success remain heavily stacked in favour of young people from more privileged backgrounds.
