More than half of inner London pupils on free school meals go to university

Young people from deprived families in inner London are going to university at a greater rate than children in other parts of England, even as enthusiasm for higher education has levelled off nationally, according to Department for Education data.

- Richard Adams

More than 50% of inner London's pupils on free school meals (FSM) had progressed to higher education by age 19 in 2023-24, compared with fewer than 46% of young people from all backgrounds, and below 20% for pupils on FSM living in a quarter of local authorities outside London.

One in 10 of the inner London pupils gained places at selective universities such as those in the Russell Group, double the rate for those on FSM from elsewhere in England.

Prof Graeme Atherton, an associate pro-vice chancellor at the University of West London and an expert in access to higher education, said the extraordinary success of the inner London pupils was due to a combination of factors.