Private School Students More Apprehensive About “Cancel Culture” on Campus
New research suggests that students who attended private schools are significantly more likely to fear being “cancelled” on university campuses compared to their peers who were educated in state schools. The findings, drawn from a comprehensive survey of approximately 10,000 students, highlight a potential divergence in the university experience based on socio-economic background.
The survey revealed that one in ten students felt uncomfortable expressing their views if there was a possibility of disagreement from others. Of this group, a substantial quarter – 25 per cent – cited fear of being “cancelled” as their primary reason. However, when this data was segmented by the type of secondary education received, a striking difference emerged.
- Private School Alumni: A considerable 38 per cent of former private school students indicated that their reluctance to share opinions stemmed from a fear of cancellation.
- State School Alumni: In contrast, only 24 per cent of students who attended state schools reported the same concern.
This report, produced by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank, is the first to explore whether perceptions of free speech on campus might be influenced by a student’s educational background.
One of the report’s authors, Charlotte Armstrong, offered a potential explanation for this disparity. She posited that students from private schools might have had fewer opportunities to engage with a broader spectrum of society during their formative years. This limited exposure, she suggested, could lead to a greater apprehension about making social missteps or expressing unpopular opinions, as they may not have had prior experiences where they “made those mistakes and see that the consequences are not as scary as they think they are.”
Armstrong elaborated, stating, “Whereas for students who’ve already had that opportunity to get things wrong, and continue on with their life and still have social circles and friendships, that fear might be slightly less.”
Confidence in Public Speaking: A Tale of Two School Types
Interestingly, the research also uncovered a contrasting trend regarding confidence in public speaking. Privately educated students appear to possess greater oratorical confidence than their state-educated counterparts. A lack of confidence in public speaking was identified as a significant reason for students’ discomfort in expressing their views, with 52 per cent of all respondents selecting this option.
However, this figure was notably lower among privately educated students, with only 36 per cent expressing this concern. This stands in stark contrast to the 55 per cent of state-educated students who cited a lack of public speaking confidence.
Many private schools place a strong emphasis on inter-school debating competitions and public speaking events, a practice that is not always as consistently replicated across the state school system.
Rose Stephenson, another co-author of the report, commented on this aspect of the findings. She noted that while privately educated students may exhibit greater confidence in their public speaking abilities, “there is still that concern over offending or being cancelled. It’s interesting that they may have something that some other students don’t, but there’s still a fear there.”
Stephenson also welcomed the government’s recent curriculum review, which has recommended a more significant focus on oracy skills within state schools, deeming it a “positive” development.
Declining Independent Study Hours and the Rise of AI
The annual survey, which was weighted to ensure representativeness, was conducted between January and April of this year. Beyond the findings on free speech and confidence, the report also shed light on shifts in student study habits.
Students are now dedicating an average of just 11 hours per week to independent study, which includes activities such as working on assignments and reading. This represents a steady decline since 2021, when students were reportedly spending 16 hours per week on such tasks.
The report’s authors proposed a compelling explanation for this decrease: the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. They suggested that students might be leveraging AI to expedite their assignments, for instance, by using it to structure arguments or conduct fact-checking.
Value for Money: Universities Delivering for Students
The wide-ranging report also touched upon students’ perceptions of the value for money offered by their university courses. A significant 45 per cent of students rated their course’s value for money as ‘good’ or ‘very good’, an increase from 37 per cent in 2025.
Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, commented on these positive results, stating, “The results of this survey show that universities are delivering for students, running counter to recent narratives about the value of a degree.” This suggests that despite ongoing discussions about the cost and benefits of higher education, many students feel they are receiving good value from their university experience.
