Private-State divide

Despite the universities' work on broadening access, new research shows that bright students from state schools are still 25% less likely to be offered a place than bright students from independent schools.

Whilst MPs see this as evidence of continued prejudice in admissions, the universities have argued that there is a difference in qualifications, citing the fact that private school students make up 1/3 of students getting straight As at A level, although only 14% exam entries come from Private Schools.