Plymouth MP shocked as few apply for Oxbridge
FEW students from the Plymouth area consider applying for Britain's two most prestigious universities, it has been revealed.
Last year, just seven students in the Plymouth Moor View constituency sent their UCAS form to an 'Oxbridge' college, which local MP Alison Seabeck described as "shocking".
-
CONCERN: Plymouth Moor View MP Alison Seabeck
Mrs Seabeck, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, said: "They are shocking figures for my constituency, because it is not for the want of trying.
"There are very bright young people in Plymouth and the surrounding areas. But if you come from a family with no history of going to university it is a big leap from that to Oxford or Cambridge."
She was speaking as it was revealed that just two West Country schools are among the top 100 in the country for sending the most students to Oxford or Cambridge university.
New figures show that only Colyton Grammar in East Devon and the independent Exeter School feature in a list dominated by schools from the South East.
No Cornish schools feature in the top 100 league table, according to a list published in the House of Commons library.
Ms Seabeck warned the three-fold increase in tuition fees, meaning a three-year degree could cost up to £27,000, risked lowering expectations further among students in the region.
Fierce debate surrounds why some regions secure fewer Oxbridge places than others, with elite universities saying they do their utmost to be accessible to all.
Of students who took their GCSEs in 2006, Colyton recorded 15 pupils going to Oxbridge and Exeter sent 10 in 2010, according to research in the Commons library.
The number of Oxbridge applications were: West Dorset 64, Taunton Deane 57, Tiverton and Honiton 54, Somerton and Frome 50, Totnes 45, East Devon 44, Truro and Falmouth 40, Exeter 39, Torbay 39, Newton Abbot 32, South Dorset 31, Central Devon 31, Yeovil 30, Torridge and West Devon 28, Plymouth Sutton and Devonport 27, North Devon 26, Bridgwater and West Somerset 25, South East Cornwall 23, St Ives 23, South West Devon 21, Camborne and Redruth 19, North Cornwall 19, St Austell and Newquay 17 and Plymouth Moor View 7.
10 Comments
by Tessa43
Friday, February 17 2012, 6:33PM
“I agree josdave apprenticeships are brilliant and employers do love them. However not a lot of them about. The government are paying some employers to start though. It has been reported, I wont say where on here that a large supermarket were doing apprenticeships. 40 hour weeks and the pay was JSA which is £55 plus expenses. You tell me, would you work 40 hours for that? If you are a single person that does not even cover your rent let alone food etc. Okay you say tax credits, I thought the whole point was to get away from benefits.”
by crazypenguin
Thursday, February 16 2012, 10:29PM
“whats wrong with being gay jabba? just curious as you use that term like its some kind of insult. As for the topic, im not suprised, have you seen the cost of going to oxford etc, theyve pretty much made sure noone who isnt in the `daddys paying my way` set can afford it anyway! and would you really want to deal with the snobby trust fund brigade student set and the pressure that must come from studying there? Im sure many would rather opt for a less well known uni for those reasons alone, just cant imagine oxford etc being all that fun to study at....half of the uni experience is the social side of it after all.”
by jabbathebutt
Thursday, February 16 2012, 9:44PM
“Considering that most stories we hear about the graduates of these places seem to have been Russian spys or gay left wing actors telling us how we should behave .... then perhaps it shows a bit of sanity still left in Plymouth.
Look on the bright side. There is still hope left in this country right now . Albeit in the so far untarnished ( but not for the want of trying so very hard ) last bit of England .”
by Bavaria
Thursday, February 16 2012, 9:34PM
“My Dear Seabeck,
The kids are too poor or too thick
because of the snobby government attitude.
Please think.”
by mcspredder
Thursday, February 16 2012, 8:11PM
“Oxbridge isn't the be all and end all. In the late 60s one of my mates turned down a place at Cambridge in favour of Keele, where they had better facilities for whatever it was he wanted to study.”
by josdave
Thursday, February 16 2012, 7:30PM
“It's time this idea of regarding a university education as the be all and end all of getting a good job was stopped. I did a Dip Tech course - six months at work and six months at college - and do not regret in the slightest not attending university. Ther are, albeit not enough, apprenticeships where you can earn money while at the same time doing a worthwhile job. In fact many employers would to prefer to take on someone who had done an apprenticeship to someone with a piece of paper saying they had spent 4 years at university with no practical experience at all.”
by timplymouth
Thursday, February 16 2012, 4:36PM
“The education system in this country is set up to benefit the well off. A four year degree will now cost you £50k and then they start charging you interest. Unless you get a well off job you will probably end up paying back closer to £100k.
Charging fees for education is immoral and should be illegal.”
by JMonners
Thursday, February 16 2012, 4:21PM
“Its because everyone in the real world cant put everything they eat, drink, travel on, live in,or use for their work, on expenses Mrs Seabeck.
Most of us, except the 650 elected MP's, live in the real world and have to pay our own way as well as yours”
by Tessa43
Thursday, February 16 2012, 3:17PM
“What on earth did you expect? Even those in a well paid job are going to struggle with these fees, plus expenses. I am surprised that you are surprised, maybe you should go have a word in Cameron's shell like.”
by Anotherbloke
Thursday, February 16 2012, 10:34AM
“Com on, who can afford it? I was one of the last 'free' educations.
27K for the degree... so add up the living expenses and wot not, your probably looking at 60K on the light side, what a daunting thought for these young people.”