97% Of Scarborough’s Poorest Children Never Reach Top Third University Admission
Statistics show that economically disadvantaged Scarborough children are highly unlikely to be able to progress to top tier higher education.
If you are a poor teenager in Scarborough, there is 97% chance you won’t be admitted to a selective university.
This is according to government findings which show that only 3.33% of Scarborough’s young people who were eligible for school meals aged 15 progressed to a selective university by the age of 19.
According to the government’s Social Mobility Index, 2017, in the Scarborough borough just three in every one hundred children that come from lower income families end up in Russell Group universities.
The minute percentage, who are “eligible for free school meals at age 15” later “entered higher education at a selective university by the age of 19.”
Selective is defined as “the most selective third by UCAS tariff score”, including The University of Leeds and the University of York, both of which are under 90 minutes from the seaside town.
Why did students choose this topic?
After participating in today’s session I have learnt how to write an effective story, including factual paragraphs. I chose to report on this subject in order to raise the issue of the lack of opportunities for less economically advantaged students. This affects people in my school and to me demonstrates the selfish and greedy manner in which society is set up.
How did the answers make our journalists feel?
The facts and figures that I got back only reinforced my views on society and the education system. However, it did somewhat surprise me that the numbers are so extreme.