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Independent school head 'concerned about university selection plans'

Posted on 30th June 2008

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A private school head has raised concerns about new plans to encourage universities to favour state school pupils.

Following the publication of a report by the National Council for Educational Excellence, the government is expected to propose that higher education institutions should give preferential treatment to pupils from poorly-performing state schools.

But master of Wellington College Anthony Seldon has warned that this could cause problems, calling on Labour to take action to improve the system.

"I think there's always danger where you artificially prop up a system. The real effort ought to be to bring up the standard of state schools to independent schools," he told the Times.

And professor of education at Buckinghamshire University Alan Smithers cautioned that this sort of "discrimination" could serve to "weaken our universities".

According to a recent National Audit Office report, white working-class males are least likely to pursue higher education.
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