__Menu ![\\"Return](\\"/static/img/ff-logo.a3c246edc83d.png\\"/) Donate * Fact checks ## Fact checks Our fact checking systematically raises standards in public debate and changes the behaviour of powerful actors * All fact checks * Latest * Health * Crime * Education * Climate * Tax * Cost of living * Politics Live * Campaigns ## Campaigns We’re campaigning to tackle bad information online, protect our elections and improve the quality of information in public debate * Campaigns * Follow: WhatsApp * Subscribe: Email * Read: Blog * Asks of the new government * Supporter interventions * Your MP * Policy ## Policy Our policy work aims to improve the information environment, in order to protect and encourage good public debate * Policy * Reports * Framework for information incidents * Research * Letters & submissions * Full Fact AI ## Full Fact AI Our technology and training work is designed to help everyone work faster and smarter * Full Fact AI * Full Fact Training * About Full Fact AI * About ## About Bad information ruins lives. We’re a team of independent fact checkers and campaigners who find, expose and counter the harm it does * Who we are * How we fact check * After we fact check * Our team * Contact us * Jobs * Funding * Independence * Impartiality * Feedback & corrections * FAQs * International networks * Search 1. Education / 2. Brexit and universities # Social mobility and universities 8 December 2017 ##### What was claimed More people from deprived backgrounds are going to university than ever before. ##### Our verdict Correct. In 2016 the proportion of 18 year-olds living in the most disadvantaged areas going to university was the highest on record for England, Scotland and Wales. It’s the second highest level it has ever been in Northern Ireland. ##### What was claimed Around 40% of students at universities such as Oxford went to private school. 7% of the population go to private school. ##### Our verdict Correct, around 44% of young, full-time Oxford undergraduate students in 2015/16 had gone to an independent school. Around 7% of all English school pupils went to an independent school in 2017. __1 of 2 claims > “when you look at the top of almost all the major professions and look at > universities like Oxford, that are taking in more kids from state school, > but I think it’s still around 40% from private school and only 7% of the > population go to private school, I think social class remains as big an > issue in the UK as it’s ever been.” > > Richard Bacon, 7 December 2017 > “There are more people from deprived backgrounds going into universities > than ever before.” > > Bernard Jenkin MP, 7 December 2017 It’s correct that private school pupils are still disproportionately represented in top professions and among University of Oxford undergraduates. It’s also the case that there are more 18 year olds from disadvantaged areas going to university than ever before in England, Wales and Scotland, according to UCAS figures. In Northern Ireland it is the second highest on record. On this measure, the gap between disadvantaged pupils and advantaged pupils across the UK has narrowed in the last ten years, although it is unchanged in the last year. Honesty in public debate matters You can help us take action – and get our regular free email Sign up ## A disproportionate number of private school pupils go to Oxford Around 44% of young, undergraduate full-time students attending the University of Oxford in 2015/16 went to an independent school, according to the latest data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency. Looking at the third most selective universities in England, around 23% of state school pupils who took A levels or equivalent qualifications went to these in 2014/15, compared to 65% of pupils at independent schools. This gap is the largest it has been since 2008/09 (as far back as these figures go). The gap is smaller looking just at pupils who took A levels. Across the whole of England 7% of students were attending an independent school in January 2017. That’s the same proportion as it’s been since at least 2003. An analysis of ‘leading people’ in the UK by the social mobility think tank the Sutton Trust found that private school pupils were disproportionately represented at the top of many of the UK’s professions. It found that in 2015 around three fifths of top doctors went to private school, almost three quarters of top military officers and top judges and around a third of UK educated FTSE 100 CEOs. Around half of the senior civil service and top journalists were privately educated. We’ve looked more at these figures here. Looking at the latest intake of MPs following the June 2017 election the Sutton Trust also found that 29% were privately educated. ## The proportion of disadvantaged young students going to university is increasing In 2016 the proportion of 18 year-olds living in the most disadvantaged areas going to university increased for all countries in the UK. It increased to the highest on record in England (almost 20%), Wales (18%) and Scotland (11%). In Northern Ireland it was at 16%, the second highest recorded level. Compared to 2006, the gap between the proportions of disadvantaged and advantaged students going to university has narrowed across all four countries. In the past year, the gap has stayed broadly the same. Scotland’s figures shouldn’t be directly compared to those from the rest of the UK because there is a substantial chunk of higher education provision in Scotland not included in these figures. Figures for 2017 will be published next week. Disadvantage here is measured according to the rate of participation in higher education by young people in each area of the country, so the most disadvantaged areas are those with the lowest rates of participation by young people. There are a number of other ways to measure disadvantage and we’ve looked into them in more detail here. Looking at pupils in England receiving free school meals, an increasing proportion are going to university by age 19, according to figures from the Department for Education. An estimated 24% of English pupils receiving free school meals had gone to university by the time they were 19 in 2014/15—the highest on record. The gap between students not receiving free school meals and those who do has remained at around 17-18 percentage points over the last eight years, based on these figures. * By Claire Milne * Share this: * Twitter * Facebook ## Was this helpful? Full Fact fights for good, reliable information in the media, online, and in politics. Support Full Fact today ### Related fact checks * Higher education: a white, middle-class affair? * Are student loan repayments really ‘the cost of a pint of beer’? * Has the percentage of good or outstanding schools risen to 90% under the Conservatives? * ITV Sunak V Starmer Debate: fact checked * BBC Question Time, 30 May: fact checked * Did you find this fact check useful? * Yes No ## Full Fact fights bad information Bad information ruins lives. It promotes hate, damages people’s health, and hurts democracy. You deserve better. Get the information you need * Who we are * Funding and independence * Our impartiality * Feedback and corrections * Media enquiries * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram ![\\"Return](\\"/static/img/ff-logo.a3c246edc83d.png\\"/) Full Fact, 17 Oval Way, London, SE11 5RR Full Fact is a registered charity (no. 1158683) and a non-profit company (no. 06975984) limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales. © Copyright 2010-2024 Full Fact. Thanks to Bytemark for donating our web hosting. Privacy, terms and conditions. Full Fact uses cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Find out more about cookies. Okay
More people from deprived backgrounds are going to university than ever before