ONLY one in ten students in the poorest parts of Colchester are going to university – leading to calls for the issue to be addressed.

Attempts are being made to try to improve those figures and stop access to further education being decided by postcode rather than performance.

The most recent data from the Higher Education Funding Council for England revealed 10.9 per cent of young people growing up in St Andrew’s ward go to university.

In Berechurch ward it is 14.3 per cent, 18.9 per cent in Harbour ward and 20.8 per cent in Shrub End.

In contrast, rates in Christchurch ward are more than 60 per cent and more than 50 per cent in Lexden, Mile End, Dedham and Langham.

The average for Colchester is about 35 per cent.

The rate is St Andrew’s ward is among the lowest in the country.

The pattern across East Anglia is repeated in rural and low income areas.

Anglia Ruskin University, is attempting to increase its outreach work to make sure young people from the most deprived areas in the East have access to the right information about higher education.

Marc Rothera, outreach and recruitment manager at Anglia Ruskin, said: “It is vital young people realise university is available for everyone and not just a selected few.

“It shouldn’t be a postcode lottery and that is something that needs to be addressed.

“There are deep-seated socioeconomic reasons why some areas have lower participation than others.

“We are committed to challenging the fact too many young people in rural or low income areas do not even consider going on to higher education as an option.

“It is important teenagers seek advice from as many sources as possible, including schools, friends and higher education providers such as Anglia Ruskin, because we’re well placed to help them to find out more before they make a decision about their future.”

Tim Young, ward member for St Andrew’s, said: “I fully support getting more youngsters from St Andrew’s into higher and further education.

“Ambition and aspiration is something youngsters in St Andrew’s so desperately need and I am not surprised by the figures.”

Mr Young wants to see a focus on both academic and vocational training with closer links with business and industry to improve the connection between study and paid work.