England and Wales: Majority of new judges state educated

In 2017-18, 66 per cent of judicial applicants were state educated while 28 per cent had attended fee paying schools and six per cent schools abroad.

The figures were similar for appointees, with 62 per cent having gone to state schools, 34 per cent to fee-paying ones and four per cent to foreign institutions.

The Judicial Appointments Commission figures indicate that in the year to March 2018 there were in total 5,125 applicants for court and tribunal posts.

In total, 729 were recommended for appointment. Applicants who had attended fee-paying schools had a higher recommendation rate, at 13 per cent, while those who attended state schools had a rate of 10 per cent.

However, state educated applicants had a higher recommendation rate – 25 per cent – in applying for circuit judge posts, compared to 21 per cent for privately educated applicants.

Forty-three per cent of applicants were women and 47 per cent of them were recommended for appointment. Non-white applicants made up 19 per cent of applicants, with 13 per cent being recommended for appointment.