Plans to boost disadvantaged university students could ‘discriminate’ against better-off pupils, private schools say

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Private schools have claimed that plans to level the playing field for disadvantaged students at universities could discriminate against fee-paying pupils “on the basis of the class they were born into”. Mike Buchanan, executive director of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, which represents the most elite private schools, said: “Care is needed in starting actively to discriminate against individual young people on the basis of the class they were born into.” He added: “We urge the government to enable universities and colleges to expand to take as many truly suitable students as necessary, rather than rob some students of a future to award it to others. That’s a fairness issue.” An Oxford University spokesperson said: “Greater competition inevitably means more students will be disappointed, but we want the best talent possible for the outstanding education we offer.” They added: “More than 69 per cent of undergraduate offers were made to pupils attending state schools, and a record number to those from under-represented backgrounds. “The changes we have brought in, with widespread support across the university and its colleges, have increased and diversified the pool of students applying to and receiving offers from Oxford.” The OfS said access to university has been a “postcode lottery”, with young people from the northeast and southwest of England much less likely to go into higher education than those in London.