Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to get into top universities in comparison to their more affluent peers, despite having similar levels of attainment at the age of 11, a new study has found.

Research by academics at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found that on average, over 2,000 talented youngsters from poor families will fail to secure a place at a prestigious university every year.

Irrespective of their early demonstrable intellect, underprivileged children will lose out to richer pupils who are actually less able early on in their respective education.

As they continue through the system, wealth will increasingly becomes a deciding factor in determining how each will subsequently fare.

For example, the IFS report, which was published by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, found that as high performing children from disadvantaged backgrounds get older, their initial promise begins to diminish.

By the time they reach 16, youngsters from especially poor families will be outperformed in their studies by fellow peers from wealthy families, despite the latter group being average achievers at age 11.

Chair of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission Alan Milburn said that this important study shows Britain is "wasting young talent on an industrial scale".

"The early promise of top-performing poorer children is being squandered," he continued.

"No doubt there are many reasons why that might be the case. But for secondary schools the research is a wake-up call for them to do more to realise the potential of each of these students."

Mr Milburn explained that secondary schools need to "focus harder" on providing children from disadvantaged backgrounds with the necessary support to ensure their early successes continue through to higher education and beyond.

"If Britain’s sluggish rates of social mobility are to improve the poorest brightest children must be helped to navigate the secondary school maze," the former Labour MP.