Yeah, and thanks.
I am not sure it was a particularly well structured argumment. I had meant to develop the point about private schools often teaching science and languages better.
My son is in lower sixth and interested in social sciences. "Newer" Universities, well they were in my day but now are slightly crumbling sixties campuses, have interesting programmes with a vast array of options. Several appear very high in the subject specific league tables. At trad Universities you walk past large languages and science departments before finding the social science block hidden away like some after thought. (OK an exaggeration, but the balance is different.) If the trad Universities are to fill their science and language programmes they may need to recruit heavily from the privates, grammars, and the comps in leafy suburbs. Or work very hard on outreach and integration programmes that allow kids without the normal qualifications, eg without an A level in a language, to catch up.
(I was shocked over the weekend to read, as part of an article about student debt and the hours of teaching offered by Universities, about a boy taking a degree in classics, starting both Latin and Greek from scratch, who only expected to reach A level standard by the end. It would be cheaper to pay for two years in an independent school sixth forms, or for a year at a tutorial college.)
The alternative is that get knocked for taking "too many" private school kids.
I, as an interested party, really hope that such universities are not then tempted to "improve" their state school ratios by preferring state school applicants in arts/humanities/social science over candidates with equal potential from elsewhere. If the fundamental problem is a failure of a number of schools within the state sector to teach science and languages well and to encourage talented pupils to take these subjects, the solution cannot be to apply prejudice. Looking at a headline figure simply hides the problem and runs the risk of weakening the University's academic standing. At a time when the competition from new or overseas providers of tertiary education is strengthening, and "consumers" are becoming increasingly value conscious.
By chance we were able to talk to an admissions tutor at one modern campus. He did a good job at selling the advantages of his course, which was forward looking and employment orientated. He was clearly interested in the fact that my son is taking double maths, and implied this would really help his application, and as importantly, his ability to thrive on a fairly rigorous course. The fact is that sixty in my son's year are taking double maths. I suspect that few, much larger, state sixth forms can boast of similar numbers.
Another point I might have developed is the resulting pressure on London colleges. Cost and the sheer size of the city puts off many, otherwise strong, candidates from elsewhere in Britain. Conversely many good academics are attracted by the international reputation of various colleges, and the scope for engaging in non-academic spheres. If places of similar status (depends on subject, but I am thinking Oxbridge, Warwick, Bristol, Durham etc) are pushing to increase their proportion of students from state schools, London becomes the obvious place for private school kids to apply. Lets face it University, even with increased fees, is cheaper than paying for school, especially if DC can live at home. A very small sample, but I suspect both my DC will end up studying in the capital. Looking at their school destination Universities they will be far from alone, which means that socially tertiary education might simply becomes an sort of extended sixth form. They would prefer to get away from home. We would prefer it too. More generally I don't think it is healthy to have a mix of politics and economics that discourages talented young Londoners from getting beyond the M25. (Actually in our case beyond congestion charging.....)
Congrats to anyone who has read through to the end. It would be interesting to have the subject breakdown of the Cambridge stats, and a breakdown which has grammars and high performing comps in leafy suburbs linked with private schools. I may be talking absolute rubbish....