Students' trajectories into university are often uniquely dependent on school qualifications though these alone are limited as predictors of academic potential. This study endorses this, examining associations between school grades, school type, school performance, socio-economic deprivation, neighbourhood participation, sex and academic achievement at a British university. Consistent with past research, large entry-level differences between students are generally narrowed by final year at university. Students from the most deprived areas performed less well than more affluent students. Asian and black students performed less well than white students. Female students performed better than their male counterparts. Contrasting with past research, though school performance was positively associated with entry grades, students from lowperforming schools were more likely to achieve the highest degree classifications. Additionally, independent school students performed less well than comprehensive school students at final year despite entering with higher grades. These variations exemplify how patterns observed nationally may differ between universities.Keywords: education; attainment; contextual background; inequality Despite a dramatic increase in higher education (HE) participation in England over the last half century, the under-representation of students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds remains a glaring reality (Blanden and Machin 2004;Breen and Jonsson 2005;Croxford and Raffe 2013;Haveman and Smeeding 2006;Singleton 2010a). These students are known as Widening Participation (WP) students, who along with students with disabilities and some ethnic minority groups are currently under-represented in HE (Gorard 2008;Mason and Sparkes 2002). Differences in HE participation are largely attributed to the poorer school-level academic qualifications obtained by a large proportion of students within low socio-economic status (SES) classifications and are associated with educational disadvantage (Chowdry et al. 2013;Steele, Vignoles, and Jenkins 2007; Sutton Trust 2005). Further, research comparing the academic performance of students from different school types and
Pervasive socio-economic differences in relation to participation in higher education in the United Kingdom are particularly prominent in the most prestigious institutions. This study provides insight into why some individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are successful in being admitted into one of these institutions. Underpinned by phenomenology, semi-structured interviews were carried out to examine the lived experiences of high-achieving students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds throughout their educational trajectories from primary school to a Russell Group university. Two main themes emerged from the data: identity and educational engagement. Various sources of disadvantage associated with material hardship, socio-cultural and interpersonal factors were strongly linked to identity and students' perceptions of their own social status. In turn, these factors and identity-related constructs associated with peer-group memberships, low expectations and negative group stereotypes affected how individuals engaged with education, contributing, for instance, to their lack of active involvement at school/college and poor attendance. However, identity-related factors were also found to influence individuals' educational engagement positively, including their motivations for overcoming obstacles, achieving high grades and pursuing HE. The barriers and facilitators discussed by these individuals have important implications for widening access to HE and thus require further consideration.
ObjectivesThis study examines associations between medical students’ background characteristics (postcode-based measures of disadvantage, high school attended, sociodemographic characteristics), and academic achievement at a Russell Group University.DesignRetrospective cohort analysis.SettingApplicants accepted at the University of Liverpool medical school between 2004 and 2006, finalising their studies between 2010 and 2011.Participants571 students (with an English home postcode) registered on the full-time Medicine and Surgery programme, who successfully completed their medical degree.Main outcome measuresFinal average at year 4 of the medical programme (represented as a percentage).ResultsEntry grades were positively associated with final attainment (p<0.001). Students from high-performing schools entered university with higher qualifications than students from low-performing schools (p<0.001), though these differences did not persist at university. Comprehensive school students entered university with higher grades than independent school students (p<0.01), and attained higher averages at university, though differences were not significant after controlling for multiple effects. Associations between school type and achievement differed between sexes. Females attained higher averages than males at university. Significant academic differences were observed between ethnic groups at entry level and university. Neither of the postcode-based measures of disadvantage predicted significant differences in attainment at school or university.ConclusionsThe findings of this study suggest that educational attainment at school is a good, albeit imperfect, predictor of academic attainment at medical school. Most attainment differences observed between students either decreased or disappeared during university. Unlike previous studies, independent school students did not enter university with the highest grades, but achieved the lowest attainment at university. Such variations depict how patterns may differ between subjects and higher-education institutions. Findings advocate for further evidence to help guide the implementation of changes in admissions processes and widen participation at medical schools fairly.
The pervasive socioeconomic inequalities that exist in relation to higher education participation within the UK are notably prominent amongst the most selective, ‘elite’ universities, and could become wider still following the Covid-19 pandemic. This case study privileges the accounts of 11 young people from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds who were directly affected by the pandemic during their final year at school (Year 13) and who had all taken in part in outreach programmes that specifically aimed to improve access to such top universities in England. Through in-depth phenomenological interviews, this provides insight into the educational and life journeys of these individuals, including their experiences of the pandemic and their interactions with outreach programmes, helping to understand the influence they perceived these to have on their choices, aspirations and trajectories. Findings highlight barriers and challenges that could influence the demand for higher education, some which were amplified by the pandemic. These included issues related to individuals’ personal/home circumstances, finance, the schools they attended, but also issues associated with fit and belonging that have been shown to deter many low SES students from applying to top universities.
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