University applications drop sharply after fees hike

But Liam Burns, president of the National Union of Students, said: "Ministers need to take responsibility for their disastrous education reforms and admit that, regardless of the final application numbers, the behaviour of prospective students will be affected by the huge rise in fees.”

Martin Lewis, creator of the Money Saving Expert website and head of the Independent Taskforce on Student Finance Information, admitted Britain was “close to a crisis point for university applications” because of misinformation about repayments.

“While university may not be right for everyone, there's no doubt the increase in fees are at the very least a psychological deterrent – often more with parents than with pupils themselves – and worryingly potentially those from poorer backgrounds too,” he said.

The total number of people applying to university by November 21 stood at 158,387 – a drop of 12.9 per cent compared with the same point last year.

British applications slumped by 15.1 per cent and applications from other European Union states fell by 13.1 per cent.

The biggest drops were among mature students, with applications from 25- to 29-year-olds falling by a fifth and demand from over 40s slumping by more than a quarter.

But applications from foreign students outside the EU – who can be charged more than British counterparts and do not count towards Government caps on student places – have actually increased.

Numbers are up by almost 12 per cent, it has emerged, to 15,996.

Mr Willetts said: “Going to university depends on ability not the ability to pay.

“Most new students will not pay upfront, there will be more financial support for those from poorer families and everyone will make lower loan repayments than they do now once they are in well paid jobs.”

Figures show that in Britain applications have dropped quickest among Scottish students – by 17.1 per cent – even though they get free tuition from the Scottish Government.

Demand among Welsh students, whose fees are fixed at just ￡3,465 by the Welsh Assembly, are down by 10.3 per cent – the smallest drop.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, the vice-chancellors' group, said: "We still have to hold back before coming to conclusions about these figures.

"It's worth noting that applicant numbers are currently down, not only in England, but also in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who do not have the same fees system. And last year for various reasons, was something of a one-off in terms of record demand.

"If we compare today's figures with the same point in 2010, the numbers are broadly similar.”

University applications drop sharply after fees hike

But Liam Burns, president of the National Union of Students, said: "Ministers need to take responsibility for their disastrous education reforms and admit that, regardless of the final application numbers, the behaviour of prospective students will be affected by the huge rise in fees.”

Martin Lewis, creator of the Money Saving Expert website and head of the Independent Taskforce on Student Finance Information, admitted Britain was “close to a crisis point for university applications” because of misinformation about repayments.

“While university may not be right for everyone, there's no doubt the increase in fees are at the very least a psychological deterrent – often more with parents than with pupils themselves – and worryingly potentially those from poorer backgrounds too,” he said.

The total number of people applying to university by November 21 stood at 158,387 – a drop of 12.9 per cent compared with the same point last year.

British applications slumped by 15.1 per cent and applications from other European Union states fell by 13.1 per cent.

The biggest drops were among mature students, with applications from 25- to 29-year-olds falling by a fifth and demand from over 40s slumping by more than a quarter.

But applications from foreign students outside the EU – who can be charged more than British counterparts and do not count towards Government caps on student places – have actually increased.

Numbers are up by almost 12 per cent, it has emerged, to 15,996.

Mr Willetts said: “Going to university depends on ability not the ability to pay.

“Most new students will not pay upfront, there will be more financial support for those from poorer families and everyone will make lower loan repayments than they do now once they are in well paid jobs.”

Figures show that in Britain applications have dropped quickest among Scottish students – by 17.1 per cent – even though they get free tuition from the Scottish Government.

Demand among Welsh students, whose fees are fixed at just ￡3,465 by the Welsh Assembly, are down by 10.3 per cent – the smallest drop.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, the vice-chancellors' group, said: "We still have to hold back before coming to conclusions about these figures.

"It's worth noting that applicant numbers are currently down, not only in England, but also in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who do not have the same fees system. And last year for various reasons, was something of a one-off in terms of record demand.

"If we compare today's figures with the same point in 2010, the numbers are broadly similar.”

Heads 'shun female teachers after childbirth'

Government figures show that 20 years ago 15,000 teachers returned to work every year, half of them full-time, compared with just 9,000 today?Photo: Getty Images

Taxpayers are spending more than necessary on training new teachers because "out-of-date" heads avoid hiring mothers who want to return to work while still having time to care for their families, it was claimed.

Stephen Hillier, chief executive of the Training and Development Agency, said some school leaders had told him that part-time and job-share arrangements posed a timetabling problem and that hiring fresh graduates was cheaper.

There are also fears among heads that women in flexible roles could not be trusted to "maintain the necessary focus and intensity on driving up pupil standards" and that they lacked the "energy and up-to-dateness" of newly qualified teachers, Mr Hillier said.

Speaking at a conference last month, he added: "In my view, some of these attitudes are 20 years out of date. Bluntly, some of our schools are a lot more willing than others to embrace the modern work patterns that are now common in other professions."

Government figures show that 20 years ago 15,000 teachers returned to work every year, half of them full-time, compared with just 9,000 today.

Mr Hillier, who is in charge of ensuring enough well-qualified teachers enter the profession, said heads "can't afford not to" start rehiring women, especially in subjects like physics and chemistry where there is a shortage of staff.

He said: "This now means that each year we are training, and schools are recruiting, 6,000 more newly qualified teachers than was previously necessary.

"Schools are the employers of teachers and only they can judge who it is best to employ ... on the other hand, taxpayers are entitled to wonder why we are spending 25 per cent more than we need to on newly qualified teachers."

David Trace, head of Ramsey Grammar School on the Isle of Man, disputed Mr Hillier's comments and branded him "out of touch".

He told the Times Educational Supplement: "My school, which is fairly typical, has seven part-time female teachers and four teaching assistants who have come back from maternity leave from full-time previously.

"In order to accommodate the needs of my seven we bend over backwards with the timetable at the expense of other important parameters."

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Union of Head Teachers, said schools should not be blamed for "conservative" employment practices and that they "won't be against flexible working for flippant reasons."

But Chris Keates, head of the NASUWT union, said: "These are not working practices of the 21st century; this is taking us back to the Victorian attitude towards employment ... Stephen has exposed something which is scandalous."

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