Trinity Hall, a college at the University of Cambridge, has approved a policy to actively recruit students from elite private schools, including St Paul's Girls, Eton and Winchester, sparking criticism from social mobility experts. The move, approved by fellows last month, aims to improve the 'quality' of applicants in subjects such as languages, music and classics, according to a memo from the college's admissions director, Marcus Tomalin.
The policy involves a targeted recruitment strategy approaching around 50 independent schools, mostly in southern England with fees exceeding £25,000 a year. Tomalin argued that 'the best students from such schools arrive at Cambridge with expertise and interests that align well with the intellectual demands' of these subjects, and warned against 'reverse discrimination' in admissions.
However, the policy has been described as 'a slap in the face' for state-educated students by some Trinity Hall academics, who expressed concerns internally. One staff member told the Guardian that 'a significant number' of fellows were upset but powerless to stop the policy when it was presented to the governing body.
Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, criticised the policy, stating: 'What is truly shocking is the implication that widening participation students are academically inferior. The evidence is clear: when talented students who have faced greater barriers gain access to elite universities, they flourish.'
A Trinity Hall spokesperson defended the initiative, noting the college's strong record of access schemes for disadvantaged students, including a residential programme for underrepresented ethnic minorities. They said the latest initiative targets subjects to encourage high-potential applicants from all school types, in line with the university's access plan.
Despite Cambridge's efforts to increase state-school admissions—which reached nearly 73% in 2022 but fell to 71% in 2023—critics argue the policy risks reversing progress. Tomalin's memo claimed that many privately educated applicants face personal or financial challenges, but a survey of wealthy independent schools found only 6% of fee income was spent on means-tested bursaries.
