The Hidden Hierarchy of Freshers’ Week
When the academic year began this month, thousands of new undergraduates found themselves navigating more than just unfamiliar lecture halls. For many, the real shock came from a seemingly innocuous question that echoed through corridors and common rooms: “So, where did you go to school?” The inquiry, often posed without a second thought, quickly revealed a deeper social stratification that still shapes campus life.
A recent exposé at St Andrews University highlighted the pressure many working‑class students feel, prompting one attendee to announce she would not return after describing how “working‑class students have been made to feel ashamed of their home life at university.” The incident underscored a broader pattern that has persisted for decades, echoing experiences recounted by former students two decades ago.
The university environment, once a melting pot of ideas, now appears to replicate the very hierarchies that many hoped to leave behind. Private‑school alumni, familiar with each other’s networks, often dominate informal mentorship circles, leaving state‑school graduates feeling like outsiders in their own intellectual home.
A New Campaign to Celebrate State School Talent
Sophie Pender, a graduate of Bristol University, has launched the “Made in State School” initiative to counterbalance this narrative. After facing mockery for her working‑class background, Pender founded the 93 % Club, a network that now supports the vast majority of UK students who attended state schools. The new campaign goes a step further by awarding red plaques to high‑profile alumni from state education, ranging from David Attenborough and Jacqueline Wilson to Jessica Ennis‑Hill and Marcus Rashford.
At the Labour Party conference last week, Pender presented a plaque to Andy Burnham, signalling a political endorsement of the movement. She argues that state schools suffer from a public‑relations problem, frequently portrayed in right‑wing media as “dystopian” institutions rather than “symbols of British excellence, innovation and creativity.” By publicly recognising achievement, the campaign seeks to reframe the conversation and foster pride among state‑school graduates.
The Real Cost of Private Privilege
The article’s author, Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett, reflects on her own university experience two decades ago, describing how the question about school became a litmus test for social standing. She observes that the media often defaults to the assumption that private schools are inherently superior, a belief that permeates industries such as journalism, where half of newspaper columnists are privately educated.
Cosslett contends that sending a child to private school can inadvertently reinforce a sense of superiority, a sentiment she links to the behaviour of some prominent politicians. She also points to a legacy of abuse in boarding schools where reputation was prioritised over safety, leaving many victims in its wake.
In contrast, she argues, state schools offer a richer social mix, teaching pupils “openness and confidence.” Mixed‑gender state schools, she notes, provide a more natural understanding of gender dynamics, whereas some private‑school alumni appear “genuinely terrified” of their working‑class female peers.
Why State Education Deserves Recognition
The cultural impact of private schooling extends far beyond the classroom, shaping professional networks and media narratives. By championing the achievements of state‑school alumni, campaigns like “Made in State School” not only challenge entrenched biases but also provide a platform for a broader segment of society to access mentorship and career opportunities traditionally reserved for a privileged few.
This shift matters because it promotes social mobility and ensures that talent, rather than wealth, determines success. It also restores a sense of pride for the 93 % of Britons who attended state schools, reminding them that their education is a legitimate source of strength and achievement.
Why it Matters
The persistence of class‑based discrimination within higher education threatens the very ethos of meritocracy that universities are meant to embody. By celebrating the accomplishments of state‑school graduates and dismantling the invisible barriers that marginalise them, initiatives such as the 93 % Club and “Made in State School” foster a more inclusive academic environment. This not only enriches campus life but also prepares a diverse cohort of leaders for the challenges of the modern world, ensuring that the UK’s future is shaped by the full spectrum of its talent, not just a narrow elite.
