The irony of access studies

1
The irony of access studies 'Excluding the
excluded from research about exclusion Stephen
Gorard s.gorard_at_bham.ac.uk
2
International comparisons indicate that
intergenerational mobility in Britain is of the
same order of magnitude as in the US, but that
these countries are substantially less mobile
than Canada and the Nordic countries. Intergenera
tional mobility fell markedly over time in
Britain, with there being less mobility for a
cohort of people born in 1970 compared to a
cohort born in 1958.
Source Blanden, Machin and Gregg (2005)
Intergenerational mobility in Europe and North
America, London Centre for Economic
Performance, p.2
'The comprehensive system was brought in to try
to improve social mobility, but the opposite has
happened' Sir Peter Lampl (http//www.suttontrust
.com/press068.asp).
According to the LSE, the extra places made
available by the expansion of universities in the
Eighties and Nineties have largely been filled by
students from better-off backgrounds
(http//www.suttontrust.com/press068.asp).
3
Table 3 Transition Matrix for Britain, Sons Born
in 1958 Sons earnings quartile aged 33 in
1991 Bottom 2nd 3rd Top Bottom parent
quartile (when son aged 16) .31 .28 .23 .17
Table 4 Transition Matrix for Britain, Sons Born
in 1970 Sons earnings quartile aged
30 in 2000 Bottom 2nd 3rd Top Bottom
parent quartile (when son aged 16) .38 .25 .21
.16
Source Blanden, Machin and Gregg (2005)
Intergenerational mobility in Europe and North
America, London Centre for Economic Performance,
p.8
4
Internationally comparable estimates of
intergenerational mobility
Source Blanden, Machin and Gregg (2005)
Intergenerational mobility in Europe and North
America, London Centre for Economic Performance,
p.6
5
Recent evidence suggests that mobility in the UK
is low by international standards (Jantti et al,
2006) and that mobility fell when the 1958 and
1970 cohorts are compared (Blanden et al, 2004).
Source Blanden, Gregg and MacMillan (2006)
Explaining intergenerational income persistence
non-cognitive skills, ability and education, CMPO
Working Paper Series 06/146
The United Kingdom bears a closer resemblance to
the Nordic countries than to the United States.
Source Jantti, M., Bratsberg, B., Roed, K.,
Raaum, O., Naylor, R., Osterbacka, E., Bjorklund,
A. and Erikson, T. (2006) American exceptionalism
in a new light a comparison of intergenerational
earnings mobility in the Nordic countries, the
United Kingdom and the United States, IZA
Discussion Paper 1938, p.5
6
Percentage of HE applicants by social class, UK,
1998-2001
Source UCAS
7
Percentage of HE applicants by occupational
class, UK, 2002-2005
Source UCAS
8
Percentage of HE applicants by occupational
class, UK, 2002-2005 and households by
occupational class, UK, 2001 census
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Occupational class of HE applicants divided by
class of households