Limited advancements in providing top positions to individuals from state-educated backgrounds - according to charity report
In a recent report, the Sutton Trust has shed light on the striking disparity in the educational backgrounds of influential figures in the UK. The study reveals that a significant number of senior judges, charity chief executives, political commentators, and permanent secretaries have attended private schools, with a range of 18% to 62% attending such institutions.
The report also highlights the dominance of private education and Oxbridge in the corporate sector. In 2025, 41% of FTSE 100 chairs were both privately educated and Oxbridge graduates, marking a 15 percentage point increase from 2019. Furthermore, only a third (34%) of FTSE 100 chief executives educated in the UK attended state comprehensive schools, while 37% attended private schools.
The situation is not much different among social media influencers and content creators, with 18% having attended private schools and 68% going to state comprehensive schools.
The Sutton Trust is urging the Government to mandate employers with more than 250 staff to report on the socio-economic background of their workforce and to encourage reporting of class pay gaps. They also suggest that employers should consider educational achievements in the context of disadvantage.
Carl Cullinane, the director of research and policy at the Sutton Trust, expressed concern that most employers aren't doing enough to build a talent pipeline of young people from less advantaged backgrounds. He stated that failing to address social mobility can limit an employer's talent pool and potentially result in a narrow cohort of candidates from the most advantaged backgrounds.
The report also found that only 9% of employers ask whether their employees were eligible for free school meals, and only 15% ask about the profession or class background of employees' parents. This lack of information could be hindering efforts to promote social mobility within companies.
However, there is some positive news. The polling found a slight increase in the proportion of companies using contextual recruitment, with 17% of firms now using such practices. This approach takes into account applicants' socio-economic backgrounds and educational disadvantages.
Despite these findings, Nick Harrison, the Sutton Trust's chief executive, warned that if no action is taken, privilege will continue to be a passport to power, resulting in a waste of talent on a huge scale and a less fair country with a weaker economy. He also noted that social class is not often included in the diversity conversation, and only one in ten companies run specific schemes to support employees in terms of social mobility.
The dominance of private education and Oxbridge in the UK's power structures is a complex issue that requires attention from employers, policymakers, and society as a whole. As Cullinane stated, making the most of talent, wherever it comes from, can be a win-win for employers, society, and the economy.
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