Sir Peter Lampl: Gulf between private and state schools is so wide

In a number of recent studies, the Sutton Trust has highlighted the predominance of those from private schools in the country's leading and high profile professions. In law, we found that almost 70 per cent of barristers in the top chambers had attended fee-paying schools and that the young partners in so-called "magic circle" law firms were now more likely than their equivalents of 20 years ago to have been independently educated.

In politics we showed that one-third of MPs had attended independent schools and this rose to 42 per cent among those holding most power in the main political parties.

Now, with this study, we have found leading news and current affairs journalists are more likely than not to have been to independent schools which educate just 7 per cent of the population.

This says something about our education system, and raises questions about the nature of the media's relationship with society: is it healthy that those most influential in determining and interpreting the news agenda have educational backgrounds that are so different to the majority?

It is clear that an independent school education offers a tremendous boost to the life chances of young people, making it more likely that they will attain highly in school exams, attend the country's leading universities and gain access to the most prestigious professions. It is also clear that the opportunities for bright children from non-privileged homes have declined in recent decades. The gulf between the state and private sectors is as wide now as it has ever been.

The education system of 40 years ago was not perfect but the grammar and direct grant schools at least offered the chance for some of those from non-privileged backgrounds to access educational opportunities as excellent as those enjoyed by children from affluent homes. Indeed, it is telling that the majority of the 51 per cent of leading journalists in 1986 who went to state schools attended grammar schools.

The representation of the maintained sector has declined since 1986 and in 2006 just 14 per cent of the leading figures in journalism had been to comprehensive schools, which now educate almost 90 per cent of children. My fear is that in another 20 years the chances of those from non-affluent homes reaching the highest strata of society will have declined still further.

As financial hardship grow during the early stages of careers, the signs are that the national news media will become even more dominated by those from privileged backgrounds.

For a profession that has done much to uncover inequalities in society, this prompts some awkward questions. Is news coverage preoccupied with the issues and interests of the social elite that journalist represent? Should the profession not better reflect the broader social make-up of the audiences it serves?