Grr

So I'm just having a lazy day reading the TES on my bed with 6 Music's "The Roundtable" playing in the background when I happen upon this story (click for a larger image): .

Grr, this article annoys me so much! And it's actually happening. There are going to be situations where people are disallowed entry to University because they are from the wrong economic background. "Sorry, we've got our quota of poor kids this year, try again next year." Or vice-versa "Sorry, there's too many rich kids applying to University this year, we can't let you in." That's basically what it amounts to.

Making sure students from so called 'less-prosperous' areas get into University has nothing at all to do with an unnecessary committe, it's all down to the input students recieve at secondary school. If the secondary school has a general atmosphere of "Why bother? You're not going to Uni anyway" (and it scares me to think that some might do) then the number of students applying to OxBridge from those areas will be low. However, if the secondary schools have a positive ethos (as they all should have) with a "Give it a try, you never know what could happen" outlook, one that creates a feeling of self-worth and positivity in their students, then those students are going to be more likely to apply to OxBridge and similar. This attitude needs to be carried over to the home as well. If students are pushed to do well, and it's appropriate for them, then they are again more likely to go on to University.

Grrr - bloody useless waste of money "Offa" or "Oftoff" as it's more appropriately known.