School gate blog: would you rather be a poem or a novel? Oxbridge interview questions and how to answer them...

Fears of a new educational elitism emerged yesterday after the University of Cambridge changed its admissions policy in a way that critics said would favour independent schools.

The university announced that 3 As at A-level would no longer be enough for entry. From 2010 at least one grade should be at the new A* being introduced that academic year. Others, including Oxford, are expected to follow.

The decision was taken even though the Government’s advisory body said the new grade should not be used as a benchmark until it had been tested.

Independent schools welcomed the move, but Labour MPs, teaching unions and education experts said that the measure would be used to “fillet out” state school pupils.

In 2007, 59 per cent of Cambridge’s intake were from the state sector.

Barry Sheerman, chairman of the Commons’ Children, Schools and Families Committee, said: “I’m very concerned that some of our greatest universities are becoming no-go zones for children from normal backgrounds.”

The Sutton Trust, which campaigns to reduce inequality in education, said that using the A* would benefit only students at the best schools. Its director, Lee Elliot Major, described it as “another sign of the ever-growing arms race that defines the issue of social mobility – just as the playing field begins to level out for the less affluent up pops a new way for the privileged to assert their advantage”.

Universities argue that it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between the thousands of applicants predicted to achieve 3 A grades. Last year Cambridge rejected 5,500 teenagers who went on to achieve 3 As. The A* would require a mark of 90 per cent. The university said that its admission criterion would probably rise to two A*s and an A “in the fullness of time”.

Exam boards have been wary of the A*, saying it would take “time to bed down”. The National Council for Educational Excellence has recommended that universities delay using the grade until it has been reviewed.

Sussex, Worcester, Dundee and East Anglia universities have said that they will not use the A* grade in 2010 because of concerns that it would result in more independent school pupils being be awarded places, jeopardising their government funding.

Geoff Lucas, secretary of the Head-masters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, which represents independent schools, said: “We are delighted that Cambridge has shown leadership in coming out in support of the A*.”

Times Recommends

• Oh no, Mr Darling: you have failed
• BBC survives dogfight over Kennel Club expose
• Where the Rosetta belongs can’t be set in stone