Our speakers highlighted that the London school system does particularly well in sending young people to university.

School results in London have improved significantly since the early 2000s. In 2001, inner London achieved the lowest national GCSE scores in England, but by 2013, London as a whole was the best-performing region in the country, with inner London outperforming every other region except outer London. High academic attainment in London makes university more of an option for many students in the capital.

Many schools in London, in particular those which are part of Multi Academy Trusts, set up their teaching for young people to get into university, and indeed measure their success in how many people are able to do this.

Our participants reflected on the fact that the sheer number of universities in London means that young people are more aware of higher education as a possible route for them to take after school. As one speaker noted, “you can’t go anywhere without running into a university in London.”

There are often strong links between schools and universities in London, better than in some other parts of England. London universities do particularly well at reaching out to young people in their local communities. Outreach and widening participation programmes can involve subject taster events, career insight days, summer school, or help with university applications.

Is the picture the same across London?

However, access to university and the ability to be socially mobile can vary across London.

Geographically, there are some areas in London which have less connections to the higher education sector, as they do not have any local universities. This is particularly the case for areas in outer London, and sometimes entire boroughs in outer London. Young people in these areas may not have as much exposure to and knowledge about the higher education sector. Our attendees called for universities to do more to reach out to communities beyond their local areas.

The picture of social mobility can also vary when looking at different ethnic groups. Though London’s universities are often hailed for their diverse intakes, it is important to distinguish between ethnic groups. For example, though London universities reflect an age cohort that is majority Black, Asian and Mixed Race, White and Asian students are better represented than Black students. One of our speakers also highlighted that further distinctions can be made within ethnic groups, for example between Black Caribbean and Black African students, or Indian and Bangladeshi students.

What are the threats to social mobility?

Proposed policy changes and funding cuts have the potential to threaten the progress made in London for social mobility.

In February 2022, the Department of Education launched a consultation on proposals for higher education reform. Many of our attendees were opposed to some of the measures proposed by the government, namely the introduction of student number controls in universities and minimum eligibility requirements for student finance. These measures were seen as having the potential to disproportionately affect those from disadvantaged backgrounds, hindering their ability to get into university.

One of our speakers also highlighted that school funding cuts following the pandemic could reduce enrichment activities offered to young people. Schools may choose to cut back on experiences that go beyond the curriculum, which may in turn affect young people’s knowledge about higher education options.