Oxford and Cambridge are still taking less state-educated teenagers than most other universities

THE most selective English universities are still taking a lower proportion of state school teenagers than many other institutions, figures suggest.

A total of 89.8 per cent of young, full-time undergraduates in England were state-educated, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

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But only 61.9 per cent of Cambridge's students attended state schools and colleges, while Oxford took on even less, at just 55.7 per cent.

The figures represent a drop on five years ago, when 57.7 per cent of its intake were state-educated.

All other Russell Group institutions have seen an increase in the percentage of state-educated students in the last five years.

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Meanwhile, Liverpool Hope University had the highest percentage of state school pupils at 99.4 per cent, followed by Bolton at 99.3 per cent.

The figures come amid a continued push by government and higher education to widen participation, encouraging students from all backgrounds to study for a degree.

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The new data also showed that just over one in ten entrants in 2015/16 were from “low participation” neighbourhoods, which do not send many students on to higher education - down marginally on last year.

Sunderland University had the most students from these areas, at 29.7 per cent of entrants; compared with just 3 per cent of those at University College London and just 3.1 per cent of those at Cambridge.