Cath Murray reported for Schools Week on the expansion of Pathways to Law

GCSE pupils from deprived areas will receive workshops to introduce them to the legal profession, in a drive to increase social diversity after it was revealed that 75% of top judges went to private school.
Education foundation the Sutton Trust today announced the expansion of its Pathways to Law programme, aimed at improving access for state school pupils to a career in law.

Twelve universities will identify local schools to target with in-school workshops, mock court trials and other activities to introduce year 10 and 11 pupils to the profession.

The initiative previously targeted only year 12 and 13 students, who could apply for a four-year programme that included sessions at their host university, e-mentoring from undergraduate law students, work experience in the legal sector and a trip to the Inner Temple and Royal Courts of Justice.

The programme for older pupils will continue but the £1m boost – funded by the Legal Education Foundation and nine law firms – will enable universities’ law departments to send teams into schools to widen participation and recruitment.

Four new universities have joined the programme this year: University of Roehampton, Queen Mary University of London, University of Leicester and the University of Liverpool.

Read her full report here