Denham hits at Oxford chief

The war of words over Oxbridge admissions has escalated after the Universities Secretary accused Oxford's chancellor of having "outmoded" views.

John Denham hit out at Chris Patten after he told a conference of private school headteachers that universities were being asked to "make up for the deficiencies of secondary education" and were being forced to lower entry standards.

Mr Denham responded by telling an audience celebrating the Government's Aimhigher scheme to promote university to disadvantaged pupils: "There is now widespread acceptance across our universities that the current system does not yet capture all the talent that exists in young people across the country. Which is why it is all the more disappointing to hear the comments of critics like Chris Patten who have an outmoded view of the central issues in widening participation."

Oxford's head of admissions has said it can do no more to encourage students from disadvantaged areas to apply without compromising academic standards.