Non-deprived Scottish students barred from uni places

[Sorefootouch]

The only Scottish students taken by Edinburgh university last year to study law came from deprived neighbourhoods, regardless of grades. Is this a good thing? If my child wants to go to University of Edinburgh and study law do we have to move to a deprived neighbourhood before applying? Is this fair? My child goes to an average Scottish state school and is predicted to get all A’s at higher.

www.scotsman.com/news/politics/students-from-less-deprived-background-have-door-closed-to-university-due-to-snp-funding-approach-3983059

Sorry for the huge gaps in that! There weren't there when I typed it!

Was this Glasgow School private/Jordanhill or another state school? Nothing like that here.

I agree about some of the differences in schools. I was speaking to a friend the other day who has a son that goes to a different school to my DCs. We have children in the same school year. Her son asked a teacher if he/she could explain something to him that was part of the course work but he hadn't understood. The teacher refused, saying it wasn't worth many marks in the exam. By coincidence, my DC attended an after school supported study session in the same week on exactly the same topic.

Our school is considered high performing and offers nothing like that.
Lack of homework, marking and feedback are common complaints of parents and pupils.
My son in S5 has had no guidance on university applications as yet.

The focus on specific relatively local low performing schools is particularly unfair to those outwith the central belt so not included in the schemes.

@WeAllHaveWings that's exactly my thoughts.
But that Glasgow school which I'm guessing is either Mearns or Bearsden sounds epic!

I do get the comments about sharing bedrooms, an being young carers having an effect on study time. But that isn't affected by postcode. Plenty in private estates also share a or possibly have caring responsibilities.

Bishopbriggs. She had nothing but high praise for both her sons experience of the school and the support they gave them and was shocked at the comparisons with my sons school - she was adamant I should be up at the school complaining....as if it would change anything!

They are extreme comparisons because Bishopbriggs I believe is in the top 10 state schools whereas my sons school is in the bottom 1/3 of schools. It can be seen how big the impact the school a child attends, rather than where their house is, has in the average tariff score of school leavers (pre pandemic) -

• SIMD 5 pupils
• Bishopbriggs 1541
• Our school 1104
• SIMD 1 pupils
• Bishopbriggs 1007
• Our school 644

She did say she was concerned because the pupils were so supported they were also known for one of the highest drop out rates for uni as they struggled when that support was whipped away. Her eldest son, a straight A student, did indeed drop out in 1st year of uni, so there are downsides too.

Sorry, what's your point?

Me? Which parts? It was a reply to a previous question, but I guess my points from my last post are -

• I believe low progression schools have a very significant impact on attainment even if the child does not live in a low SIMD area.
• A child being very (perhaps excessively) supported in school to obtain grades at that stage of their education is not always a good thing for some children, maybe short sighted, as it can have some future negative impacts.

@WeAllHaveWings
I have heard that from someone else too that the kids from the best schools have a higher drop out rate once they are at Uni.

There is also the theory that in well to do areas the parents are more able to plug gaps with tutors. Helping push up the attainment level.

How you level the playing field for rural kids, probably the same way base it on the school and how well the school is achieving generally.

Some of the more rural secondary schools are really small compared to the cental belt. So smaller classes must also help with the attainment levels.

My DCs low progression school gives tonnes of feedback. I’ve been really impressed with the way the critical essays were handled. DC goes to supported study every week but our family situation made a massive difference am sure. DC was tutored in one subject and got a prize for it and for science and maths, DH and I between us could answer all their questions (DH has a science PhD) so I think home makes a huge difference regardless of the school. We also WFH so there is no point during study times where DC sits stuck for hours with no one to ask. One thing I do think makes a difference is having clever friends, my DC has got a lot of help from friends when stuck and technology means it’s easier to ask a question.

Having supportive parents will make a difference but you cannot determine that by postcode.
Do all the kids on your street have access to two parents WFH with a degree never mind a PhD in their pocket?
Your kid sound like they are in a really fortunate position.

Thanks. Yes, I completely agree. The HT of a school is really what's important!

Two people in my (short) street have Oxbridge degrees. I think the “whole school” designation on its own is wrong.

I don't know anyone with an Oxbridge degree never mind two in the one street.

We must frequent different circles. 😜

Exactly, that’s why I think it’s insane my DC can get into the local unis via the widening access criteria ahead of many other kids. There must be a more comprehensive contextual approach that can be adopted. There are small things that my DCs could be said to miss out on as the school doesn’t offer school trips but it’s actually other kids that I think could lose out more if a household can’t afford for everyone to go on holiday but could perhaps send one child with the school.

I am hearing that lots of kids from my ‘well-heeled’ neck of the woods are getting offers from good Scottish unis (although interestingly, not Edinburgh) , so it gives me hope!
If only Scotland could/would nurture all its talent regardless of their background. Not all high fliers at top performing schools are coached and tutored- those schools have natural talent too!

I’m surprised they are not going full communist and checking your hands for callouses, to demonstrate that you are one of the working classes, before allowing access to services.

I am a lawyer who attended what would be a deprived school in an average area but got the grades to attend university .

Throughout I mixed with a diverse group of students ( yes at this stage more private than comp) , secured a good traineeship and had very fulfilling career between private and public sector . I mixed with a lot of different types of lawyers with different backgrounds and interests in law but that difference and a balance was essential to strength of the profession. I did well and live in a better area than where I was born . As a result my kids cannot now access the opportunities afforded to me . Fantastic that’s a brilliant incentive to do work hard and do well. I support and was delighted with policies to widen access but not at the expense of all other less deprived kids - it’s nuts !

I find this policy of having NO kids from middle class etc on many of the professions simply wrong .

Nevertheless those young talented young people will go elsewhere and their parents no doubt will follow with all their taxable income . Think we’re short people now - it hasn’t even started .

Hopefully a new leader at the top of SNP will see the error if their ways and make many changes that are needed in Scottish education.