Here is an interesting fact. In 2011, only 50 out of 30 000 pupils receiving free school meals were accepted into Oxbridge, compared with 60 from the final year of 300 from Eton College.1 Oxbridge is deemed to be the zenith of academic achievement and parents use hushed reverential tones when they even mention the word. But I’m good at statistics and, if you consider the spread of IQ in the population, it is statistically impossible that Oxbridge are accepting the most able students based on merit. There is a confounding factor at play: schooling. Many pupils gain admission by old-fashioned cheating, help with coursework, extra tutors, support with writing personal statements, and the slew of …