Oxford Union rejects elitist charge

The motion was rejected by 401 votes, supported by 87

The Oxford Union debating society has dismissed the charge that the Oxbridge admissions system is elitist.

Four hundred and one people voted against the motion - "This house believes that the Oxbridge admission system is biased against comprehensive schools" - to just 87 in favour.

Laura Spence: Rejected by Oxford

The motion was put forward by Dr Paul Kelley, the head teacher at Monkseaton Community High School in Tyne and Wear where Laura Spence studied.

Laura's rejection from Magdalen College, Oxford - in spite of a string of A grades at GCSE and predictions of straight As at A-level - prompted widely publicised criticism from Dr Kelley.

But, opposing the motion, the President of Magdalen, Anthony Smith denied the admission procedure was biased against state school applicants.

'They won't apply'

It was not the interviewing techniques of dons or a follow-on from 19th century snobbery that stopped students studying at Oxford, but the fact that they "did not apply".

Dr Kelley argued that the current system was not working well.

The motion was proposed by Dr Paul Kelley

"I think Oxford University recognises there is a problem and comprehensive schools recognise there is a problem - but what matters are that these problems are addressed.

"I believe the key issue is access and that people applying to Oxbridge must have confidence in the system. Something has to be done to improve it," he said.

Speaking after the debate, Dr Kelley said he had had no expectation of winning the motion, but had wanted to give students the opportunity to quiz him on his views.

Achievement 'belittled'

"Students felt their institution was under attack and that their achievement in getting in had been belittled.

"This was an opportunity for them to have a frank exchange of views - in their own setting - with the person they felt was at the heart of it."

He had been invited in a positive spirit, he stressed, and there had been a sense of "drawing a line" under the issue.

"There was no consensus that it was good that so many of the students at Oxford come from private schools," he added.

Chancellor Gordon Brown - who added to the elistism debate in the summer by hitting out at the university's "old establishment interview system" - was also invited to speak at the debate on Tuesday night, but was forced to decline because of a prior engagement.

The disgraced former Conservative MP, Jonathan Aitken - who is studying for a theology degree at Wycliffe Hall - was at the Union Society to hear the debate.