ASCL comment on ‘Elitist Britain’

Commenting on ‘Elitist Britain 2019’, the new report by the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Commission, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“State schools work tirelessly to make social justice a reality, but the dice are loaded against them in a society where both privilege and disadvantage are perpetuated from one generation to the next. 

“We need to do many things to break this cycle but a good start would be for universities and industry to do more to recognise the background of candidates through the greater use of contextual recruitment and admissions practices, as the report recommends. 

“We also need to beware of slipping backwards. The government has imposed real-terms cuts on schools and colleges which have led to rising class sizes and cuts to courses and student support services. We know it is unrealistic to call for the same level of funding as private school fees, but state schools and colleges must surely be better funded if the government is serious about creating a fairer society.”