Universities told to use postcodes to pick students: Aides want institutions to use applicants neighbourhood and school when giving out places 

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The advisers, the Social Mobility Advisory Group, was set up at the request of universities minister Jo Johnson

Universities should boost numbers of disadvantaged students through more positive discrimination, government advisers have recommended.

They are being told to consider ‘contextual data’ when giving out places – such as the school, neighbourhood and family background of an applicant.

Admissions tutors must look at a youngster’s ‘potential’ and decide whether their exam performance may have been held back by poverty, the aides said.

And they suggested bright pupils attending poorly-performing schools in deprived areas can be given a lower A-level grade offers.

The advisers, the Social Mobility Advisory Group, was set up at the request of universities minister Jo Johnson and is chaired by Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, which represents vice chancellors.

Many universities are already operating ‘contextual admissions’ programmes following criticism that they do not admit enough poorer students – but the group want more to follow.

The report found that the economic and social position of a student’s family has the greatest impact on their access to university, as well as the area in which they live.

Ms Dandridge said: ‘Disadvantage is deeply entrenched in our society, and there are no quick and easy answers.

‘The report recommends that universities should work even more closely with schools and colleges in a range of ways, given the strong link between a student’s prior attainment at school, and their outcomes at and beyond university.

‘For some areas of the country, young people are much less likely to go to university than in other areas.

‘For any response to make a difference in the long term, it will need to reflect the individual university’s location and mission, as well as the individual circumstances of each student.’

The comments follow criticism from David Cameron that some universities may be institutionally racist

It follows criticism from David Cameron that some universities may be institutionally racist, and a government pledge to ‘name and shame’ those who do not let in enough disadvantaged pupils.

In her maiden speech, Prime Minister Theresa May highlighted the injustice of white working class boys being the least likely group to go to university.

The controversial Rhodes Must Fall campaign at Oxford University accused universities of failing to let in enough students from diverse backgrounds.

The report said universities could use contextual data when giving offers ‘in order to identify applicants who may have lower prior attainment as a result of disadvantage rather than because of lower potential.’

Admissions tutors can examine ‘educational, geo-demographic and socio-economic background’ as well as whether other background information such as whether applicants have been in care.

Many universities already use this data, and sometimes to give an applicant a lower grade offer than the standard one if they believe the applicant has ability but may not score highly because of the disadvantages they have faced.

King’s College London offers a medical degree for state school pupils with BBB A-level grades – much lower than the usual offer.

Students take the first stage of a medical degree over two years, rather than the usual one year, allowing the first stage to be studied at a slower pace and with more support.

King’s College London offers a medical degree for state school pupils with BBB A-level grades – much lower than the usual offer

Institutions also use contextual data to target outreach activities where they are most needed.

In one pilot scheme mentioned in the report, universities in London developed a tool by which they could target outreach programmes at the most in-need schools.

The tool allows them to identify the percentage of deprived pupils, exam results, ethnicities, number of migrant children and proportion entering higher education at any given school.

The group worked with universities, employers, schools, colleges and education charities to produce their report on improving access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, ethnic minorities and the disabled.

The report said changes could be made to the way league tables are constructed so that universities taking poorer pupils with lower entry grades were not discriminated against.

The report also recommended universities monitor and scrutinise data across each stage of the student lifecycle – from applying to university to getting a job – in relation to race, socio-economic status and disability, and where there is a gap explore how this can be resolved.