Students from state comprehensives outperform their peers from private and grammar schools at university, according to latest research.
A five-year study commissioned by the Sutton Trust and the government tracked the progress of 8,000 A-level students to assess whether a US-style aptitude test, known as a SAT, could be used in university admissions.
The research, carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research, found that a comprehensive student with A-level grades BBB performed as well as their peers from independent or grammar schools with grades of ABB or AAB.
It also emerged that those from comprehensive schools who attended the UK's most academically selective universities achieved better degree scores than their peers from the independent and grammar school sectors who had similar A-level and GCSE grades.
But despite the research calling into question universities that focus admission mainly on high A-level entry grades, it found that SAT tests added little to the university's knowledge of whether a student would achieve a good degree grade. SAT tests also failed to effectively identify academic talent among disadvantaged pupils.
Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: "We are obviously disappointed that the SAT does not provide an extra tool in helping to identify academic talent among students from less privileged homes."
The research, carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research, found that a comprehensive student with A-level grades BBB performed as well as their peers from independent or grammar schools with grades of ABB or AAB.
It also emerged that those from comprehensive schools who attended the UK's most academically selective universities achieved better degree scores than their peers from the independent and grammar school sectors who had similar A-level and GCSE grades.
But despite the research calling into question universities that focus admission mainly on high A-level entry grades, it found that SAT tests added little to the university's knowledge of whether a student would achieve a good degree grade. SAT tests also failed to effectively identify academic talent among disadvantaged pupils.
Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: "We are obviously disappointed that the SAT does not provide an extra tool in helping to identify academic talent among students from less privileged homes."
