Not at all surprising

In UK, disadvantaged white boys least likely to make it to university.

https://voiceofeurope.com/2018/10/white-british-disadvantaged-boys-are-the-least-likely-of-any-ethnic-group-to-make-it-to-university-education-secretary/

It is Britain, which sits near Europe and has been too-much influenced by war-losing France and Germany.

There is not much emphasis these days on helping white boys. In the US, white men are labeled racist homophobes and often are intellectually and academically bullied in college.

The UK will give a few million pounds “to boost standards” in education, whatever that means. Maybe whoever is in charge of boosting standards could pay the disadvantaged boys.