The Royal Academy of Music (RAM), Royal College of Music (RCM) and the Courtauld Institute of Art show the lowest percentage of state school entrants to first degree courses, according to figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). HESA gives the Government statistics on higher education, including the ‘widening participation indicators’ which reveal the proportion of entrants from under-represented groups such as state education, specified socio-economic classes and low-participation areas. The RAM’s state school intake fell from 42% in 2006/07 to 40% in 2007/08, the lowest figure among the 158 institutions included in the survey. This year’s figures for the RCM (41%) and Courtauld Institute of Art (51%) were similarly low. Other low-scoring organisations included the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (58%) and the Royal Northern College of Music (68%). The most recent figures pertain to the academic year 2007/08, when tuition of fees of £3,000 per year were first introduced. Across all subjects, the drop-out rate from university courses has risen since the fees were introduced, but the picture in the arts education sector is more varied. Drop-out rates at the main London-based music conservatoires have risen, from 0% to nearly 6% for the RAM and from under 2% to 7% for the RCM.
 

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