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You failed to mention the extra ?6 million a year given to elite universities to increase the proportion of state-schooled pupils ("Intake up for state pupils at top 13", THES , August 2).

A 4 per cent increase represents about 2,000 extra students, costing the taxpayer an additional ?3,000 per student.

This is more than six times the extra funding per student my own university received through the so-called "postcode premium" for recruiting working-class and disadvantaged students from low-participation neighbourhoods - a much more difficult task. No wonder August is described as the "silly season".

Mike Milne-Picken
Head of planning and performance review
University of Central Lancashire