Against a tie and a crest

State-educated students are more likely to excel at university than those from independent schools with the same entry grades, writes Alison Goddard.

A study of 130,000 students attending British universities has found statistical evidence that those from state schools perform better in their finals than those who were privately educated and have the same entry qualifications. The Daily Telegraph says that universities have been "given the go ahead to favour state school pupils". The Independent reports that state-school students achieve better degree passes and The Times (£) has the same story. The Guardian says that white students get better degrees than their ethnic minority peers. We have a report, available only to subscribers to HE, which examines the ways in which achievement at university varies by sex, family income, ethnic background and schooling.

Meanwhile the proportion of state-school educated pupils going to university has reached its highest level since records began, according to figures published yesterday by the Higher Education Statistics Agency. The Scotsman reports that the top universities in Scotland have failed to widen access. (It never ceases to amaze me that the stark differences in funding regimes between England and Scotland appear to have no effect whatsoever on the social composition of the student bodies of the two countries.) We have a report, available only to subscribers to HE, which examines the wide variations between institutions.