25 Years of University Access

Since the first Elitist Britain report in 2014, Britain has experienced seismic change. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted children’s education, Brexit reshaped many industries, and AI is now transforming how we work. We’ve faced a prolonged cost-ofliving crisis, even as we’ve celebrated sporting triumphs – particularly for women – alongside advances in medicine and technology. After 14 years of Conservative government, the political tide turned towards Labour in last year’s election. Yet through all these changes, Britain’s elite – those in the most influential roles in our country – continue to be dominated by the privately educated and graduates of the most prestigious universities, notably Oxford and Cambridge. Our country is changing, yet our leaders, on the whole, are not. Over the last decade, diversity initiatives have rightly focused on improving access for women, people from a wider range of ethnic backgrounds, and those with disabilities. But we have not put the same focus on socioeconomic background: what many of us would call ‘class’. Disadvantage gaps open early and run deep in our country. Sutton Trust research has found time and again that young people from less well-off backgrounds miss out on opportunities in education and employment that more privileged youngsters take for granted. This is not only profoundly unfair; it is also a critical waste of talent, squeezed out by the elite education pipeline. If Britain is to thrive, we need to draw on all the talent we have available. Many of our Sutton Trust partners have already taken important steps to open opportunities to young people from a wider range of backgrounds, and we are proud of the progress that has been made. Government, too, has begun to recognise the challenge through its Opportunity Mission. Nonetheless, we have much further to go to break down barriers and unlock the sustainable and inclusive growth our country needs. This report lays bare the scale of the challenge, and in doing so calls for a Britain where opportunity is open to all, and where our leaders better reflect the country they serve.

Montacute, R. & Cullinane, C., 2023. 25 Years of University Access. London: The Sutton Trust.