Middle class lose out as colleges pick by postcode

Documents disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act reveal six are singling out applicants by simply checking their postal district to see if it is listed as 'deprived'.

Admissions tutors are then advised to favour them over equally well-qualified candidates from better schools or wealthier backgrounds.

The 'filtering' schemes also include a controversial traffic lights system for ranking applicants' social status.

The revelation is certain to inflame debate over 'social engineering' aimed at ending the middle-class dominance of higher education.

Dons say they are simply attempting to spot hidden potential by identifying applicants who may have been hampered by poor teaching or low expectations. However, critics claim institutions are discriminating against deserving middle-class candidates.

The universities are under heavy pressure from the Government to increase the number of students from poorer homes.

Internal documents have highlighted the use of information on applicants' backgrounds during the selection process at six universities, all members of the Russell Group of 20 elite institutions.

The six are: Nottingham, Newcastle, Warwick, Liverpool, Southampton and Bristol.

At Nottingham, admissions tutors are told they can lower A-level entry requirements for applicants from a deprived postcode or a school with a poor academic record, according to guidance documents disclosed to a Sunday newspaper. This would entail giving a conditional offer that has been reduced by a grade.

At Newcastle, administration staff rate applicants' family and educational background according to a traffic lights system.

Application forms have symbols added accordingly. Tutors are advised to make lower offers to students whose predicted grades would normally rule them out.

"Applicants whose forms indicate two or more "contextual factors" should be routinely reconsidered within the faculty to confirm (or otherwise) the reject decision," the advice states.

Under a separate scheme, applicants from deprived local postcodes or low-performing schools can be made lower entry offers if they complete a two-week summer school.

Clerical staff are also reported to write on application forms the percentage of students at the applicant's school that have achieved five or more A* to C grades at GCSE.

"The lower the average performance of the school, the more weight may be given to the candidate whose past examination performance significantly exceeds their school's average performance."

Warwick asks applicants from 'low participation backgrounds' to submit extra information that will be considered alongside the standard form.

Liverpool, Southampton and Bristol suggest admissions tutors take account of 'contextual factors' such as educational opportunities or personal circumstances.

Nottingham told the Sunday Times it had introduced a 'flexible' admissions policy and applicants may be set a hurdle of two A grades and a B instead of three As.

Newcastle said: "Admissions tutors have always taken into account available contextual information when assessing the academic potential of applicants to the university."