Private Schools In Oxbridge Horror: Daily Telegraph Blames Government
THE top story on the Daily Telegraph’s website is that “Private school pupils ‘being rejected from university’”.
This is not the only shocker:
Private school pupils with straight-A grades are being rejected from elite universities in unprecedented numbers, it can be disclosed.
Graeme Paton, Eleanor Harding and Heidi Blake have the facts to disclose. They spoke with three independent schools. And found:
Two out of three top independent schools approached by The Daily Telegraph said teenagers were finding it harder to get into higher education this year compared with 12 months ago.
“Finding it harder” seems less than fact, more an opinion?
In some cases, pupils predicted to get three A*s at A-level – along with a string of perfect GCSE results – are being turned down from all five of their choices.
How many cases? We’re not told.
Entry to Oxbridge is especially hard this year, heads claim. Some schools reported a drop of around three-quarters in the number of students with offers from Oxford and Cambridge.
This story is getting better. See the word “claim”. And “some schools” are not doing as well as they did last year in getting children into the top universities? While others are doing better? Having established the facts, the blame is swiftly attributed:
Heads said the squeeze was being exacerbated by the Government’s “widening participation” policy. It encourages universities to give lower grade offers to bright pupils from poor schools showing the most potential.
What are the statistics, then? And if poor schools are being favoured why not speak to three of them as well and achieve a balanced report?
It is also feared that universities are prioritising foreign students who can be charged far higher fees.
Feared. Such are the facts.
One student from Brighton [Brighton College] – rated among Britain’s top 20 schools in a recent league table – has been rejected from Oxford, University College London and Durham, despite being predicted three A*s at A-level, on top of straight As at GCSE and AS level.
One student. And was this super student interviewed by the colleges and then rejected? We’re not told.
The Telegraph interviewed the heads of 30 leading independent schools and two-thirds reported concerns over the admissions process.
Well, they would wouldn’t they. As for it being harder to get in because of the Government. Well…
The disclosure follows the publication of figures this week showing applications to degree courses are up 23 per cent compared with 2009. More than 100,000 extra applications have been made and demand for places at some institutions has doubled in just 12 months.
Harder to get in to top colleges because there is more competition for places, which should lead to improved standards at the better universities, right? And it will also mean more competition for places and more scholars from independent schools being rejected.
As the the Telegraph told us least year:
Meanwhile, the decision by Durham University to reject James Lishman boiled down to the results he gained in his GCSEs, taken two years ago.
The independent school pupil was predicted between 38 and 42 points in his International Baccalaureate (IB) qualification, the equivalent of three A grades at A-level. He actually went on to score 43 points, two points shy of the maximum score in IB.
So standards are up. Such are the facts…
Posted: 13th, February 2010 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
