Briefing Note: Understanding and addressing socioeconomic participation gaps in Higher

Using the ‘POLAR’ measure, the reduction in demand for HE during the remain- percentage point gap in participation rates be- der of the 2020s is likely to be at least offset by tween those residing in the top 20% of areas increasing numbers of 18 year olds within the of highest HE participation versus those resid- population (Drayton et al., 2023). [...] Looking at the categorisation of all stu- cent data showing that the proportion of non- dents in higher education between 2017-2018 FSM eligible young people progressing to HE and 2021-2022, the number of students in the by age 19 (49.4%) greatly exceeds the pro- most advantaged group grew slightly, whilst the portion of FSM eligible young people progress- number of disadvantaged students slightly. [...] Lower SES students could according to average achieved grades upon en- be less likely to go because of lack of aspira- try) is very small at just 5.3% for the most recent tions to go to university; lack of knowledge of cohort of data, compared to 14.6% for non-FSM HE options or the application process, or be- eligible pupils. [...] The Key Stage 4 attainment The use of contextual admissions, and the gap between disadvantaged (defined as those use of reduced entry requirements in particu- known to be FSM eligible in the past 5 years lar, has expanded in recent years. [...] These reviews have con- cluded that the evidence on the effectiveness of Outreach interventions outreach programmes does tend to show signs of promise, but that the evaluation methodolo- There is no dearth of aspirations to go to gies used are typically not able to elicit a causal university amongst those from more disadvan- effect of outreach interventions.