Vice Chancellor Criticises 'Back Door Route' in to University

Sir David Bell, who led the Department for Education until the start of this year, said that letting in working-class students with lower A-level grades than their middle-class counterparts was “patronising” and could be seen as a “back door route in”.

He said he believed strongly in widening access to universities, but warned: “Giving differentiated offers, certainly when you have competition for places, is a bad move. I just think it is the wrong policy if you compromise on standards.”

The outspoken comments will spark debate about “social engineering” in university admissions. Sir David was the permanent secretary at the education department for six years, steering through the launch of academies under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and free schools under Michael Gove, the Conservative Education Secretary.

He previously served as chief inspector of schools. He is now the vice chancellor of Reading University, and is the first university head to openly criticise the making of “adjusted offers” on the basis of background.

Original source here.