Trinity Hall's New Policy Sparks Access Debate

Trinity Hall, a Cambridge college, has approved a new policy to specifically approach around 50 elite private schools, including St Paul's Girls, Eton, and Winchester. This strategy, aimed at enhancing the "quality" of applicants for subjects like languages and classics, has drawn sharp criticism from social mobility experts and internal academics. Critics describe the policy as "a slap in the face" to state-educated students and a potential return to an exclusive "boys' club culture."

College admissions director Marcus Tomalin defended the policy, stating that students from these schools arrive with advanced expertise aligned with Cambridge's intellectual demands. He also raised concerns about "reverse discrimination," suggesting that focusing solely on widening participation might overlook exceptionally qualified privately educated students, some of whom receive full bursaries. However, recent research indicates private schools allocate only a small fraction of their income to bursaries.

This policy emerges as Cambridge and Oxford strive to diversify their student intake. While nearly 73% of UK Cambridge students were state-educated in 2022, this figure has since dropped to 71%. Trinity Hall itself saw its proportion of privately educated students fall to 26% in its most recent data, down from 32% in 2022. Cambridge removed specific state school admission targets in 2024 under a policy from the Office for Students.