Charles Clarke rejects claims that universities are fixing admissions procedures against independent schools

Independent schools which advise pupils not to apply to Bristol University are being "foolish", says the Education Secretary, Charles Clarke.

Mr Clarke said that claims that the university were discriminating against independent schools pupils were "mistaken and foolish".

This follows a dispute over admissions procedures, with independent school head teachers accusing the university of treating their pupils unfairly.

The government has called for universities to encourage applications from students from poorer backgrounds - and independent schools argue that in Bristol this is putting their pupils at a disadvantage.

The University of Bristol has rejected the accusation, saying that there were no quotas or fixes and that admissions were "fair and straightforward".

The education secretary endorsed this, saying that "those independent school organisations trying to blackguard Bristol are mistaken and foolish in my view".

Bristol University has among the highest proportions of independent school pupils in the country - and says that it has 39,000 applications for 3,000 undergraduate places.

Selling fees reforms

This means that many talented pupils, from both state and independent schools, are rejected, says the university.

Mr Clarke was speaking in Newcastle, where he was seeking to build support for his proposed shake-up of student funding.

These funding arrangements will allow universities to charge a higher level of tuition fees.

But it would also allow for charges to be re-paid through taxation after students have graduated, rather than in the form of an up-front fee, as at present.

The education secretary said that the lifting of this up-front fee would remove a "significant inhibition" to young people going to university.

In the debate, Mr Clarke was challenged by Karen Wilson, student union president from Sunderland University, who highlighted the "paradox" of seeking more students will hiking the cost of studying.