Is It Because I'm From Wales? Week In Week Out

The dreaming spires of Oxford and the ancient courts of Cambridge. Two

of the best universities in the world which have produced some of

our greatest scientists and thinkers. Oxbridge graduates

dominate power. Half the UK Cabinet studied at one or the other. This

year there is Jacob Lewis. At Cambridge to study law having grown

up on a Cardiff Council estate. Cardiff is a great city. This is a

completely different planet. I'm on my way to a tutorial. It is one hour

with one of the leading experts in his field. You know what? It is

really difficult. I was up until 5:30am but it is what I signed up

for. It encourages you to work hard and do the readings to the very best

of your ability. The unique thing about Cambridge and Oxford. That the

place. He is one of only 61 pupils from Wales who are accepted to study

here this year. There are only 77 at Oxford. We are very few and far

between but we do exist. Relatively speaking, far fewer Welsh youngsters

even dry to get in compared with their English counterparts.

Oxford and Cambridge are famously to have the best universities in the

world so it is hard this uprising that competition for places is

intense. And it's increasing. We have looked at the latest figures

and Welsh schools continue to underperform. 20% of Welsh

candidates get in and that is 5% under the UK average. Worse is the

low number of Welsh applications. Only 680 compared with England,

20,000. Concern about a long-term decline in property Welsh Government

to commission a report from pole. Now Lord Murphy. -- Pol. I had the

vigorous advantage myself to go to Oxford and they wanted young people

who had the same advantage that I had in Wales. I also noticed quite a

dramatic drop in both the number of applications and the number of

acceptances in Oxford and Cambridge from Welsh schools and colleges. For

A*s! This was Jacob Lewis the day he found out he had got his grades for

Cambridge. But his further education college was stunned that came it has

set the bar so high. When he was first made the offer I didn't think

he could do it because at the time it seemed a real stuff of, more

really than probably anybody else in the UK. What made Jacob's

achievement so extraordinary was that after a family breakdown he had

to stay with friends sleeping and studying where he could. The library

became his second home and the college of deep to support him.

Because he was effectively homeless or sofa surfing as Jacob describes

it, we put him up in bed-and-breakfast and that allowed

him to come down to the college and there he was working about 12 hours

a day. I think I have clocked more hours than the librarians, you'll

have to them. We caught up with Jacob last October just before he

left for Cambridge. It gives the student a really good fighting

chance. Teaching is fantastic year but it is really important to get

those higher grades to do that independent reading and to do the

practice papers to try and get the consensus from the ingrained in your

mind as possible. That is why I did it going into the exams and that is

what I intend to do going to Cambridge. You need considerable

skill to manage Jacob. He is a character. Sometimes I felt I needed

the skill of a lion tamer but all in all this has been a tremendous

experience. Will you be sad to see him go? I am delighted that he is

going! But going to the Cambridge, that is the delight, not the fact

that I'm going but where I am going, yes? Yes. Shake my hand. So, what

are the chances of two others from the same college following in

Jacob's footsteps to Oxbridge. Carmen Sutcliffe from Pentryrch is

doing her AS-level is and wants to study law at Oxford. They are the

top universities for a reason. A first-rate education. You want the

best possible training for your career. And Calum Haggett from

Tonyrefail is reapplying to Oxford. They gave him an offer last year but

he just missed out. Possibly because he was also captaining the Welsh

under 18 's. He led them on a tour to South Africa. He has given up

rugby since to concentrate on education. It kills me that I can't

play every week because it has been such a part of my life since I was

nine or ten. Having this year off is a massive void in my life. Both

Calum and Carmen left their schools to do A-levels at Coleg y Cymoedd.

It also plays host to what is known as a Seren hub. Once a month, the

brightest kids from the area are invited along to be taught by some

of the best teachers and lecturers available. What's do you notice

about it compared... The Murphy report recommended setting up Seren

hubs around Wales. He pointed out that they weren't getting the very

best grades students need for Oxford. Carmen amongst other agrees.

I just think teachers want all of the class to pass and a think

teachers need to pick out individuals that could do better.

And push them to better. I feel like they are pushing the ones they don't

think will pass but once you are above the pass, they are kind of

happy with what you have got. The Murphy report found that too many

well schools suffered from low ambition. Hawthorn High near

Pontypridd is not one of them. It is five years since anyone here got to

Oxbridge but last year have the offer is made to their students came

from the UK's top 23 universities known as the Russell group. Despite

that, quite a few students here didn't take up those offers. The

most common reason for not going to Russell group universities was

because they didn't want to move away from home. They wanted to be

able to live at home, to save money. It comes back to finances. It is

really getting that message out to people that they don't actually have

to pay that money upfront and it is a long that they can take up that

they can pay back. These A-level students are aiming high, but they

can see why others are put off applying to top universities. I

think it is because we see ourselves as being less entitled to get there.

They also don't think they will fit in, that they will go to Oxford and

all the people in Oxford will be really bright just like them but

they will be different class. He never really think you can go up

there because it is in the back of your mind that it is where you are

comfortable... Today, Carmen and Calum and a select few from the

Coleg y Cymoedd are on their way to a very different kind of college.

They are going to one of thing's famous school. Their teachers see it

as a chance to open their minds and build confidence. Since coming to

Coleg y Cymoedd I know these are much broader available, it has been

a lot wider help available for us in terms of preparation for interviews

and entry tests and things like that. Last year was a bit of a

culture shock. It was a shock arriving at this beautiful building

and I have been involved in some really high-level debates. But

really had to broaden some of their horizons.

It costs up to ?36,000 a year to attend Wellington College. Their

prestige means they can bring in some of the UK's top speakers for

events like this. Wellington College has built relationships with some

state schools and invites them along. I think conferences like this

are really important in terms of developing a child's character and

also their sense of self belief, their understanding that they might

only be 16, 17 years old but they can ask a question to a top

politician or economist and they will get a direct answer. Whilst

these politicians might seem quite imposing, they are just people and I

think the more that we can break down those barriers and help

students from less privileged backgrounds understand that, we will

start to stay the type of social change you want in society. So, can

we in Wales compete with this kind of support for our brightest pupils?

We are grateful we have had the opportunity by Wellington to come up

here today. I don't think we can match that exactly. However, with

our own Seren hub network in South Wales, I think more and more of

these opportunities will be provided. I think this event today,

like others that we attend -- intend our students applying for in future,

can do no harm in helping that. Conversing with people from these

different backgrounds gives you confidence, knowing you are as good

as these people and these are the candidates you are competing against

when you apply for the best universities in the country.

Privilege and money doesn't much hard work in my book. As long as you

work hard and have people and amazing teachers who support you,

that is what matters. Everybody ready for home?

44% of Oxford's places are filled by students who have been to fee-paying

schools. So nearly half the places here are being taken by private

schools even though they educate fewer than one in five A-level

students. With the vast majority of children in Wales going to skip

Sills, are they at a disadvantage? With the university insists it is

that the school that counts. We do recruit on academic potential but

academic potential lies right across different types of schools and lies

with people from different backgrounds. What if those pupils in

comprehensive schools do not have degree a shackle access to that

degree of support? In terms of support we work with many schools,

2200 average annually and they are state schools that we go into to

make sure they have access to the information. But across the UK? Yes.

We have three colleges that are dedicated to outreach in Wales.

Oxbridge academics say they can detect raw talent paper-thin candids

through interviews and aptitude tests, including the so-called BMAT.

Today, Calum is getting the result of his BMAT test as part of his

application to the biomedical science. I have got 5.7. That is a

good score. I'm really pleased with myself. I think this year more than

last year, maturity has got a lot to do with it when you're looking at

questions. More, than last year. Roughly I can get through the door

this year and be studying up there in October. -- hopefully. In

Cambridge, Jacob is close to finishing his first term at Hughes

Hall and he has found it challenging. A Cambridge law degree

we will say is slightly more difficult than A-levels. But is

expected of you is very different. It is a lot of library work, a lot

are really engaging with the primary sources and doing your own research.

But that is what you have to do as a lawyer. I am preparing to moot. You

have a hypothetical legal problem and you need to argue your point

against other law students. No matter how good your legal argument

is a judge is not going to find in your favour if you look like an

idiot. You occasionally have two dress in a way that will make your

mates back, love. Did everything they would be wearing something like

that? Certainly not alive! Ready to win a case. Cambridge and Oxford

still offer to few places to schools that are state schools, especially

from those that are deprived backgrounds. According to the

Government was like social mobility commission. It is a charge they both

deny. Why then did Cambridge appear to make it so hard for Jacob by

demanding and almost impossible for A*s at a level? Our standard offer

for arts and humanities subjects is A*s and double-A. The average

academic attainment for students arriving in Cambridge is 2.7 A*s. So

why when Jacob Lewis applied to come to Cambridge was he told that he

would have to achieve for A*s? That sounds like an exceptional case.

That will not reflect my understanding of how offers to any

student would normally be made. Last week, education charity

the Sutton Trust said Oxbridge's admissions process is

complicated and intimidating. Cambridge say they're trying

to break down barriers For example, some sample interviews

re-enacted by successful candidates have been put online. I would if the

university has a view like that, people who come from difficult

circumstances are discouraged. I would say the opposite. Ours is a

system that really concentrate on applicants as individuals in a way

that many other universities don't. We have a special form, for example,

an extenuating circumstances form, that schools or doctors or social

workers can fill in to explain circumstances surrounding perhaps an

unusual set of exam results that don't reflect that candidate's

ability. We really encourage that sort of information to be passed on

so that we can help those students and make sure they are not

disadvantaged. Perhaps Jacob was given such a high

offer because of his According to the website of at least

one Cambridge college, Trinity, two of his chosen A levels,

Law and Sociology are of 'limited Another of his A levels

was the Welsh Bacc and Oxbridge According to the website of at least

one Cambridge college, Trinity, two of his chosen A levels,

Law and Sociology are of 'limited Another of his A levels

was the Welsh Bacc and Oxbridge Rank the first three in order of

what you think was the most important... Both Oxford and

Cambridge say they need to see evidence of a strong grasp of the

subject and an enthusiasm for it. It is usually the parties... Carmine

speaks highly of the teaching here and the advice she is getting from

A-level coordinator Ian. Ian is on at me, saying, why are you doing

that? I like it. It is nice having someone there telling you it won't

help. There is no point doing it, it is just me being stubborn singer can

do it anyway. What do you think about the Welsh baccalaureate? Is it

helpful or not? It was going so well and you had to mention that. It

depends on the students. For me, it drives me insane because it takes up

a lot of time for something that most of the universities and

employing two don't even accept it. There are questions

about whether universities are giving clear guidance

on the A levels they want. But if they are, do schools

and pupils pay enough attention? Professor Chris Taylor has carried

out detailed research into how successful schools are at getting

their pupils into higher education. He finds there are big

differences between them. The quality of advice varies,

as does your chance We find differences in the

probability of you going to university. Some schools, their

children, their students, are 2.5 times more likely to go to

university even though they have the same grace as another student in

another school in Wales. He also suggests that as the Welsh

curriculum diverges from England's, it might become harder for our

brightest to get into Oxbridge. And he says the quality

of teaching needs to improve, There are huge differences between

schools there. Particularly around the specialist nature of the

teachers. You have subjects, for example, history, beings taught by

drugs or maths teachers. English being taught by teachers who haven't

got English degrees. The level of expertise among the teaching

profession is also a key factor. So does this Welsh Government see

the quality of teaching as the root I went to ask the

Education Minister. It has been suggested there is an

issue about attainment. There are better teachers to push for higher

grades right through the process. If we have young people who are capable

of the very best and we are taking their GCSE results as a marker here,

then to my mind, they should be encouraged.

The Welsh Government has also just announced new training for teachers,

which they say should improve the quality of teaching and pupils

It's mid-December and Calum is in Oxford focussing on the big

day ahead - three interviews at two colleges.

Just a latte, please. The dining room at the College I'm going to

this afternoon, that is the dining room. I'm looking forward to going

and seeing that. One is at 10:10am and one is at 11:50am. I can be

prepared. I can be down there ten minutes before I need to be there.

I'm looking forward to getting it out of the way because this is the

end of the whole process. After this, you find out whether you have

an offer. I'll start focusing properly about

half an hour before. We've done the work. If you haven't done the work

by this point, you are pretty much stuffed. Why is that chair read?

They want to see how your brain works. They will take you on.

After months of preparation, it was time to go in to

Exeter College, his number one choice.

A few hours later we caught up with him as he phoned his mother.

It went well, yes. Better than the other two. I am glad, because I want

this one. I think she's pleased that I've come out reasonably happy. You

can't be ecstatic about an Oxford interview, but if you are, it has

gone wrong. They push you depending on your level. I think I was a bit

more, and collected when I was answering questions purely on the

fact that I've been here before. Hopefully, when the beam that score

and my personal statement get, but rated into the one, I can get an

offer. -- BMAT score. It's been his dream to study

here and get a rugby blue. But Calum now has a month to wait

before Oxford writes to him Carmen's applying to

Oxford later this year. She has a heavy workload

to get through first - I don't thing being sort of

dedicated academically means that you need to cancel out social lives

or hobbies or downtime, because as long as you manage time effectively,

it is manageable. I do boxing. Boxing is definitely keeping me

sane. Definitely keeps me sane. It relieves the stress and gives you an

hour where you don't need to think at all. If you neglect your body,

that has adverse effects on your mind. Everyone feels stressed, I

think, 16. The biggest worries are getting your work done.

Even though her parents say they'll miss her when she goes off

to university, they are giving 100% support to get there.

As a parent, I've only ever wanted them to be happy, whatever they do

is of their choosing. But I will be absolutely devastated. I will miss

her like mad. But what she will benefit by moving out and her life

is her life starting. It's got to be done. She will love it and she will

be amazing. I am excited, really excited. Really excited for who she

will be. Jacob Lewis's story has by now

made him into minor celebrity. He's been asked to speak at

an education conference in Cardiff. He's on a mission to get as many

other Welsh to apply Oxbridge don't care about you or

where you are from, only your academic potential. Everyone, no

matter what their background, has to pass the same incredibly daunting

admissions process. For heavens sake, if they will let me in, they

will let anybody in. He's realised that Welsh youngsters

are put off applying to Oxbridge because they think, wrongly,

it's more expensive Welsh assembly cover nearly two

thirds of the fee in the form of a nonrepayable grant. The fee is only

3.5 thousand a year where is our com patriots are being charged ?9,000

per year. Crikey, it is a deal, a steal. A degree at Oxford or

Cambridge is no more than a degree from Cardiff, it is the same price.

Aim high. It's mid-January and Calum has news

about his application. It has not been possible to offer

you a place at this college, I am sorry to inform you. I was

devastated, really. It's been two years, close, of my life. I got the

offer last year and then we're playing this year. My personal

statement was better, my exam results came up much higher than

last year. I was devastated and dumbfounded, really, as well, as to

the what's and wise. The family think if he had been

given an offer of four A stars from the University he might have

done it, especially as he's given up Had they come back and asked for

higher grades than last year, we would have been told and understood

it, but not to get a chance of an offer at all is devastating, because

less than six months ago, we were in possession of an offer. He is the

calibre of student said wanted to take on last year, but less than six

month later, they don't seem want to give him a chance to try again. That

has disappointed us. We have been following a young student, Callum,

as he has tried to fail -- tried and failed to get into Oxford second

time at the round. He missed out by a few UCAS points this time,

probably because he was captaining the Welsh rugby under 18 is in South

Africa at the time. Aren't you missing a trick by not taking on

someone with a well rounded background like his? What Oxford is

interested in is academic potential. Many of our student is I able to

demonstrate that through their A-level grades, that they have

attained first time around. They also, in addition, may well be

captaining a rugby team or rowing or playing cricket, so if somebody has

been made an offer and not got their grades, then it is rather unfair

that we give them an offer when they have not met their standard offer.

With only one in six applicants getting through,

there are a lot disappointed students at this time of year.

But those running the Seren hubs emphasise it's not

all about Oxbridge - there are plenty of other top

I went to Oxford and I loved it, but I know I would have been happier at

Cardiff, I been happy at another of -- a number of other institutions.

We're not in the Coleg y Cymoedd about talking about Oxbridge. They

should cast the net very widely. Calum says already over his

disappointment. He has had an offer from a top London University. When

look at prestigious institutions like UCL, Warwick, Ewok, we are all

competing with Oxbridge in biological sciences, they are all

looking at Oxbridge's door. It is nowhere near the end of the road. As

the Jacob, he was still a sofa surfing last month in Cardiff and he

couldn't wait to get back to Cambridge for his second term. Very,

very happy to be at Cambridge. It's an absolute honour. I have worked

very hard and I am determined to enjoy every moment, but I am also

deadly determined to not mess this up. I've become well-known almost

ordered by accident as the homeless kid who got into Cambridge, there

can't be the homeless kid who got into Cambridge and then had to leave

because he couldn't keep the work. You've got to believe in yourself

and you got to believe that you are up to it and you deserve your place

just as much as anybody else in Cambridge.