Read: Attainment gap between black students and their white peers at university is 'too high'

The gap between the number of black students achieving the highest grades at university and their white peers is still too high, England's higher education regulator has warned.

The Office for Students (OfS) said that black students were less likely to be awarded a first or upper second-class degree than white students at all but one of the 97 universities and colleges analysed. 

Their data shows that the attainment gap is more than 20 percentage points in some institutions.

However, overall, the attainment gap between black and white students - the difference in those securing a top degree - has closed from 24.7 percentage points in 2015-16 to 18.3 percentage points in 2019-20.

Figures from the OfS show that 68.2 per cent of black students gained a first or 2:1 degree in 2019-20, compared to 86.6 per cent of white students. 

The OfS has warned that persistent gaps in outcomes highlight the need for universities to support students effectively to succeed in higher education.

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Achieve equality, through diversity & inclusion is one of the ‘Levelling Up Goals’ launched to set out clear objectives for the UK's Levelling Up challenge.