Credit: This story was first seen on the Epigram
The new Bristol Scholars scheme has been praised as an innovative step to increase social mobility in the city by making lowered offers to students judged to have ‘high potential’ by their schools, Epigram reports.
However, information obtained by Epigram has revealed that half of the schools partaking are private schools, with 33% of the adjusted offers made to their students.
Launched in December of last year, the ‘pioneering’ scheme which aims to ‘ensure local student have an equal opportunity’ is open to five students from every school in the local region, with head-teachers making the choices based on ‘potential and progress’ rather than solely on exam results.
Priority is given to students who meet a range of widening participation criteria such as being the first in their family to attend university, being part of the free school meals cohort, living in care or being a young carer.
However, at the time of the launch, much of the praise surrounded opportunities for state school students, with Elisabeth Gilpin, head teacher of St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, praising the University for nurturing “highly intelligent students in state schools who are achieving excellent results”.
Professor Hugh Brady, vice-chancellor and president of the University of Bristol, said: “We want to recruit the most able students, regardless of their background”.
Lucy Collins, Bristol University, head of UK student recruitment told Epigram, “Two thirds of the offers are going to students in the state sector so independent school students have not been disproportionately represented in the offers.”
Nationally, 14% of sixth formers attend private schools meaning that they are over-represented in the new scheme’s offers. One in four Bristol children live in poverty, and there are several schools failing by the governments standards.
The University’s state school society, The 93% Club, told Epigram that ‘although it is not in contravention of the University’s Widening Participation Strategy, we lament the inclusion of independent schools on this scheme’.
‘Students from State funded schools will by and large not have the same opportunities that those from independent schools enjoy. It would therefore not make sense include those who already having had the privilege of a private education, at the expense of state school students who would better benefit from the opportunity.’
The average yearly fee at an independent school is £12,500 – £600 less than the annual earnings of one person on minimum wage. In comparison, the investment per Bristol state school students was £4,717.30.
Three of the independent schools which have had tailor-made offers to their students exceed the average private school fee.