Extra Uni Places As A-Level Results Revealed

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs and Education Editor

A-level students who obtain low grades in today's results will have unprecedented access to university, with up to 30,000 new places created.

A decision by the Government to abolish the cap on student numbers could have a dramatic effect on this year's cohort, with fierce competition among universities seeking to attract school leavers.

Some universities were offering cash "scholarships", rewarding students for their A-level results, while others were offering reductions on accommodation and free tablet computers.

Coventry University, which is offering a £1,000 cashback, said the giveaways did make a difference but did not unduly influence students.

"Our scholarships are generous, but they are not that generous," said deputy vice chancellor Ian Marshall.

"They get money to spend. It makes a slight difference but most students come to university on the basis of the subject they are interested in, and the reputation of the institution."

One student, who received an offer to study at London Goldsmith's University, said he was deferring it to do an apprenticeship.

He said students should think twice about doing degrees, which now cost up to £9,000 a year for tuition fees alone.

"I would say university isn't the best option for all students," said Rhasan Brunner, 19, from Brooke House Sixth Form college in Hackney, London.

"Since the Government raised tuition fees, students have to take out loans. That debt is going to stay over their head for quite a long time.

"Plus nowadays jobs are really rare and scarce and quite competitive, so it doesn't really guarantee you a job after university."

The decision to expand the number of student places comes amid increasing concern about quality assurance in higher education and job prospects for graduates, with recent figures showing almost half of graduates were in non-graduate level jobs.

Access to university has been expanding since the 1960s, when a report by economist Lionel Robbins advocated opening up higher education to all those who qualified by virtue of ability and attainment.

Two years ago the government abolished the cap on students with the highest grades, essentially paving the way for the expansion of the elite Russell Group of universities.

But the new expansion for students with lower grades - which could also include an additional 60,000 extra students next year - has prompted concerns about quality.

"Over the past 10 years we have seen a huge increase in number of places at university - that's presented a great opportunity for young people from all backgrounds at one level," said Jude Heaton from Teach First.

"The risk there is that we don't create a two-tier system where pupils from richer backgrounds go to the most selective institutions, which have the best outcomes for them, and then people from poorer backgrounds have an almost second tier university education."

Such concerns are likely to be further fuelled by a report by social mobility charity Sutton Trust earlier this week, which warned that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are still 10 times less likely to apply to the UK's 13 most selective universities.

There are also reports that today's results will confirm a deepening of the gender divide, as girls continue to shun STEM - science, technology, engineering and maths.

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