Peter Brant, Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission policy chief, said that young people from working class backgrounds are less likely to apply for university places because they are worried about fitting into an 'alien' middle class world.
Brant explained that working class people eat at different restaurants, wear different clothes and form different kinds of relationships, and that in order for children from these families to flourish they should introduce themselves to a more middle class way of life.
He also commented that a lack of cultural visits to places like theatres would hold children back.
He said: 'it seems likely that worries about 'not fitting in' will be one reason why highly able children form less well-off backgrounds are less likely to apply.'
John Major, former head of the Conservative Party, said something similar in a speech last year, saying it was 'shocking' that Britain was still run by the privately educated and affluent middle class.
What do you think about Brant's comments? Do you think he has a point? Or do we need to change the way the education system is steered towards the rich?