Poor white children are the least likely of all social groups in the UK to reach university, a damning study has found.

Only one in ten white British teenagers from the country's most deprived income group make it to higher education.

The scathing report blamed the low attainment levels on poor performance at school, with research showing that white British teenagers achieving the worst grades at GCSE level.

Poor white children are the least likely of all ethnic groups in the UK to reach university, a damning study has found

The study by the Government's Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission found that children from ethnic minorities are far more likely to go to university.

Three in ten black children, five in ten Bangladeshi and seven in ten Chinese children go on to study at university in the UK, painting a stark contrast to their white British counterparts.

The report found:

One in ten children from poor white British families reach university In contrast, three in ten black children five in ten Bangladeshi and seven in ten Chinese children go on to study at university in the UK White children achieve the worst grades at GCSE level Poor parenting in white British households blamed for poor performance Black students are the least likely to achieve a good degree British Asians face the most discrimination when it comes to getting a job in top managerial and professional sectors

The report, published yesterday, blames poor parenting among white British homes and found a worrying gap between the performance of pupils from the poorest and better-off households in white British families.

It said white British parents are less involved in their children's education as they grow up, are less able to pay for private tuition and are less encouraging and this has a long-term impact on how well they do academically.

Report: The report by the government's Social Mobility Commission showed that children of Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage face discrimination when looking for a job

But black families were also warned that their children were the most likely to be excluded, and the least likely to achieve a good degree.

And black children experienced increased difficulty at Secondary school, according to the report.

KEY FINDINGS FROM SOCIAL MOBILITY REPORT The Social Mobility and Child Poverty report blamed poor academic attainment among poor white British children on their parents. White households are often less involved in their children’s education, are less encouraging and are less able to afford private tuition, the study found. But the report found that while black and British Asian children outperform their white counterparts at school, they are more likely to end up jobless. This is particularly the case among young Asian Muslim women, who are the most likely to be discriminated against in the workplace. Children of Bangladeshi and Pakistani origin are significantly less likely than white British youths to be employed in managerial or professional jobs. Advertisement

Only 63 per cent achieve a C in maths GCSE, compared with a national average of 68 per cent.

However when it comes to employment British Asians are facing the biggest challenge in securing jobs in top managerial and professional jobs, despite outperforming their white counterparts in school.

The report showed that children of Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage face discrimination when looking for a job.

And, while British Asians make strides in the classroom, Muslim women in particular, face prejudice in the job market.

Former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Milburn, the government's poverty tsar, said that the discrimination experienced by these groups showed that the UK must make things fairer for all.

He said: 'The British social mobility promise is that hard work will be rewarded. This research suggests that promise is being broken for too many people in our society.'

The report's lead author, Bart Shaw, acknowledged that there are many different factors that influence a child's education.

Shaw said: 'In education, differences arise from access to schools, teachers' perceptions of behaviour and practices such as tiering and setting.'

MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE REPORT The Social Mobility Commission recommended schools, colleges, universities and employers should be required to fix the deep-rooted problems of social mobility in the UK. Its main suggestions were: Schools should try and involve parents in their children’s education

They should target groups that are least likely to engage in their children’s education, such as poor white British and Gypsy, Roma and traveller groups

Schools should avoid dividing children into different ability groups at primary school

Schools, colleges, universities and employers should offer Muslim women extra support to help them overcome problems of discrimination

Universities should target children who are least likely to reach university, such as white British pupils Advertisement

Discrimination: Muslim women in particular, face prejudice in the job market, the report found