A charity which transformed the educational prospects of deprived black youngsters is to turn its attention to struggling white working class boys.

Generating Genius founder Tony Sewell has promised to tackle the ‘victim mentality’ being replicated by poor white pupils.

His move comes after figures showed they are the underdogs of the education system, doing worst at GCSEs and the least likely group to go to university. Mr Sewell said he had a proven track record using methods that encourage the youngsters to better themselves.

Generating Genius has promised to tackle the 'victim mentality' being replicated by poor white pupils. It comes after figures showed they have the poorest performance in GCSEs and the least likely to go to university

He added: ‘Every student with Generating Genius gets to a top university more or less.

‘Their only headache at the end of it is which job offer to accept.

‘We’ve created an experience for black children that goes against the norm, by using a positive methodology.’

Mr Sewell, the son of Jamaican immigrants, said: ‘There can be a victim mentality, the same rhetoric around white boys that there used to be around black boys.

Charity founder Tony Sewell has helped improve the educational prospects of poor black pupils by using 'positive methodology'. He was supported by Boris Johnson, when he was London mayor, to mentor children in areas such as Hackney and Lambeth

‘We don’t stand for that. We demand the best and say you can be the best. Our method is to find the diamonds in the area and use them to captain the ship to drive the others forward.’

He was supported by Boris Johnson when London mayor to mentor children in areas such as Hackney and Lambeth.

This work in the capital will continue and Mr Sewell hopes for extra backing from Whitehall to expand and help white youngsters in northern towns such as Dewsbury, Bolsover and Wakefield.

Only a quarter of white working class boys achieves five good GCSE grades.

And only three per cent of Oxford students come from this group, a report from the National Education Opportunities Network revealed last year. In contrast many children of immigrants excel at school and go on to university.

It comes just a week after Winchester College (pictured) was condemned for turning down scholarships of £1.2million to help poor white boys

Last week two leading public schools were condemned for turning down scholarships of £1.2million to help poor white boys.

Winchester College and Dulwich College snubbed bequests from Professor Sir Bryan Thwaites, 96, because they feared breaking equality laws.

Sir Bryan, a mathematician who attended both schools on scholarships, said he wanted to help address underperformance of working class white children.

Last year, controversial rap star Stormzy set up scholarships exclusively to help black students attend Cambridge University in a move lauded by the institution.

Yet Sir Bryan’s similar offer was rejected by Winchester College in Hampshire and Dulwich College in south-east London.

Winchester said it did not see how such an offer could ‘ever be compatible with its values’.

London mayor Sadiq Khan believed Winchester and Dulwich College in south-east London should have accepted ‘as long as it was targeted towards those who needed a helping hand’

Yesterday, it emerged London mayor Sadiq Khan believed the schools should have accepted ‘as long as it was targeted towards those who needed a helping hand’. He said Sir Bryan’s intentions were ‘noble and good’. Trevor Phillips, former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, also suggested the decision was wrong.

He said: ‘One state school has already accepted Thwaites’ offer. Ironically, but not surprisingly, its headmaster is black. Bad luck, Dulwich College and Winchester.’

Under the 2010 Equality Act positive discrimination, giving someone preferential treatment due to a certain characteristic, is unlawful.

But there is an exemption for trying to help someone to overcome a disadvantage that is down to a characteristic, such as race, which is called positive action.

‘We tell them you can be the best’