• Question: Why do you think it's so important for young people to be given the chance to go to University from deprived areas?

    Asked by Mrs Francis to Lucy on 14 Mar 2017.
    • Photo: Lucy Kissick

      Lucy Kissick answered on 14 Mar 2017:


      Thank you for such a great question. I feel so strongly about this because I saw a map of the difference in university attendance across the country by area (Higher Education Funding Council for England) and I was really upset by the massive variations. In the Oxford area there were high schools that sent 100% of their students to university literally next door to schools that only sent 7.5%.

      I don’t for a moment believe the students of one school are inherently smarter than those of another – only given better opportunities, or a safer home, or more attentive teachers. It seems incredibly unfair for someone to miss out on university based on their start in life, and I think it’s very important we help bright young people towards the futures they deserve.

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