Cambridge takes on more state pupils

Cambridge University has admitted 200 more state school pupils this autumn than last year, new figures show.

The university now has its highest proportion of state sector admissions since 1981, at 59 per cent.

State enrolments went up from 1,490 last year to 1,697, while the number of pupils from independent schools dropped from 1,215 to 1,181. Overseas admissions fell from 362 to 316.

Admissions staff said the rise meant the university's efforts to widen applications from the state sector were starting to bear fruit.

The university, backed by the Sutton Trust education charity, has been holding summer schools for potential state-sector applicants in an effort to lose its elitist image.

Geoff Parks, the director of admissions, said the figures were encouraging.

The applications had also been received before the university had introduced more measures to remove barriers, such as dropping the requirement that candidates have a GCSE in a modern language and abolishing the separate Cambridge application form with its £10 fee.

There was a 4.4 percentage-point rise in state-sector applicants compared to a 5 per cent drop last year.

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