Report Overview
Report from the Institute of Education and the Institute for Fiscal Studies showing that there are 60,000 students each year who at some point are among the top-performers in their year group, but who do not go on to enter university.
Key Findings
- 60,000 pupils — who at age 11, 14 or 16 are among the top fifth of academic performers in English state schools – do not subsequently enter higher education by age 18.
- Pupils on free school meals are 19 percentage points less likely than other school pupils to enter higher education by age 19, when school qualifications are not taken into account.
- However, pupils on free school meals are virtually just as likely as other school pupils to enter higher education by age 18 if they attain A-levels.
- Looking only at young people who do go on to university, those on free school meals are 6 percentage points less likely than other school pupils to enter leading research universities by age 19, when school qualifications are not taken into account.
- When these qualifications are considered, pupils on free school meals are only slightly less likely than other school pupils to enter leading research universities by age 18.