'Deep divide' in Welsh students applying to university

A Swansea university summer school aims to give young people a taste of university life

There is a "deep divide" between the types of students in Wales who apply for university and those that do not, an educational charity has said.

Welsh students from poor backgrounds are almost three times less likely to go to university than those who are well off.

Sutton Trust said schools should raise aspirations and universities should "reach out".

Swansea University is running a summer school to try and bridge the gap.

According to UCAS, the body responsible for university admissions, last year, only 17 per cent of poorer Welsh students went to university.

In contrast, 44 per cent of students from the most well-off background entered higher education.

'Missing out'

Dr Lee Elliot Major, chief executive of the Sutton Trust said: "There is still a deep divide in education in Wales.

"We really need to have much smaller gaps because Wales is missing out on a huge amount of talent."

The charity said that although there has been some progress over the past five years, schools should do more to raise aspirations, and universities should "reach out" to under-represented groups.

More than 60 young people are currently taking part in a Swansea University summer school to encourage them to apply to university.

The course gives them a "real taste" of university life and studies.

Alice Davies of Swansea University says white working class boys are under-represented at universities

'Unfair'

Attendee Tiegan Blackmoor, 17, of Maesteg, said: "I wasn't sure if I should go to college or go straight to a job. None of my family have gone to university."

Alice Davies, manager of Swansea University's Reaching Wider Partnership, which runs the summer school, said one of the most under-represented groups at university is white working-class boys.

"Young people who have been in the care system are massively underrepresented in higher education, as are young people from certain geographical areas where there's a lot of poverty," she added.

"It's unfair that certain parts of the population aren't accessing higher education - not through a lack of talent, but through a lack of access to opportunities."