Oxford VC blaming state schools for low Oxbridge entry!

[Miljah]

Am speechless- but not surprised, tbh.

Yes, top private schools do pluck clever, poor students out of state schools, not necessarily in an act of altruism, though, but to justify their charitable status and to boost their academic success ratings.

They take these DC out of often, large, all-comer comps with the usual panoply of big classes, poor equipment in falling down buildings, a demoralised work force, challenging behaviours, disruption, SEN, both diagnosed and not (and even then poorly funded), some low community expectations and so forth; and then place them in small classes of clever, motivated fellow pupils, in beautiful buildings with top of the range equipment, better paid staff, forensic guidance, very motivated parents- and thus they head off to Oxbridge.

Louise Richardson, Oxford Vice Chancellor muses that state schools are failing 'their brightest' (those left after the indies have creamed off the ones they want) by not offering a similar service.

How can you be so lacking in critical thinking skills yet get to be VC of Oxford?

Ha. The old trope about Oxford and Cambridge not being interested in your extra-curricular pursuits... They may not be directly interested, but they sure as hell are interested in the effect these things have on your confidence, your understanding of the world and your chosen subject, your perspective.

Indeed!

@Walkaround, fair point.

Slocombe do you mean National Citizenship Service? They had an outward bound week, a skills week and one or two weeks working on a community project. My DC described Oxford UNIQ as being a bit like NCS for geeks!

I was pleased that the UNIQ scheme didn't exclusively push Oxford. They gave places for some fairly niche subjects (Egyptology, oncology or archeology anyone?) which the young people hadn't necessarily initially applied for. DC didn't feel they needed to apply for that particular subject or college, let alone Oxford, as the focus was on raising aspirations, whether that was in Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff or Cambridge. They certainly weren't precious about it, from what I've heard.

All the people I know who went from state comp to oxbridge had connections. Either a parent who went there or at least a teacher who went there. Someone who knew what it was all about to support them.

You don't know ds, then. Nor a good few of his friends in his college. Ds had no help from school, so it was me on MN and him on The Student Room.

Well obviously I don’t know every state comp student who went to oxbridge!

Yes larry, that's the one! Dgs had a whale of a time and is now a regional rep. He has never been in scouts or anything, so it was quite a new experience. I'm sure a lot of teens would benefit.

It looks as though the staff have as much fun as the DC. My BiL did it when the scheme was first set up and had a whale of a time.

I think he's the one who persuaded DC to go.

Just a different perspective. Both my Dc attend 2 of the schools from the 8. For the last 2 years the schools have consistently held parent meetings to try to get parents to think outside the box. That Oxbridge is not the answer for everyone and in acknowledging many parents are high fliers with connections, is actively promoting the idea of skipping University and directly entering the workforce!
From my own albeit long time ago deprived area schooling, the biggest hurdle was my own parents. The school teacher came to my home to persuade my parents to apply for Uni. Maybe the outreach programmes should be targeting and informing parents.

@LolaSmiles great posts btw

There was an Oxford University outreach event for local state schools held here not many apply in entire area apparently - one of my Dc was invited - the idea was to bust application myths and get more local state pupil applying.

All the local schools organised transport for their staff and identified students most likely to benefit - it was in school hours.

It was a well-attended event apparently unfortunately it transpired Oxford university forgot to arrange speakers to attend or let the schools know this ahead of the event.

Clearly here the state school here were going the extra mile to support students aspirations.

Going back several posts....... I am not sure that rural and coastal comps really do want to send pupils to the places they ought to be aspiring to. I qualified as a teacher at 50, and never got an interview for any of the applications I submitted.

Fine, I was old in teaching terms. But I also offered to volunteer to support sixth formers at my DS's local school with university applications and personal statement writing tuition. My overtures were met with complete radio silence. In any private school, such offers would have received a response, even if a polite no thanks.