Posher than John Lewis?

New research suggests that Labour have failed in opening access to higher education and have done little in their attempt to improve social mobility. Say the Guardian:

‘Attempts to increase the proportion of university students from low-income families and ethnic minorities have been at the heart of Labour’s higher education policies. They are linked to the government’s target to have 50% of young people in university by next year.

Universities such as Bristol have tried to shake off their reputation for elitism, with initiatives to encourage under-represented groups to apply. But the research shows that at Bristol University 3% of students come from the poorest quarter of homes, while 54% are from the richest quarter.’

According the to the same paper, leading universities attract a wealthier clientele than traditionally middle class department stores. This is possibly a meaningless comparison and cheap journalism, but makes a nice soundbite:

‘Not even John Lewis, that most quintessential of middle-class brands, has customers as rich as the oldest universities’ students. More than half - 55% - of the students at Bristol, Warwick and Queen’s Belfast universities (the three Russell Group institutions in the study) come from the wealthiest homes, according to Caci’s data.

Just over a third (36%) of John Lewis’s customers and 34% of House of Fraser’s come from the same group.’

Some universities, it seems, continue to exist for the priviliged few. One wonders if they make the most of the opportunity while there.