I don't see anything wrong with what I've proposed.
Young people who want to go to university can get a part time job when they turn 16, and then work full time for a couple of years once their A-levels have finished. Assuming they are still living with their parents during this time, they would have saved enough for the tuition fees and majority of living costs for their three years of university. Then they can get a part-time job while at university and, complete with internships in the summer, will have more than enough to get themselves through to graduation. Plus all this experience they have amassed will put them in a good position to get a decent job after uni.
This way university is accessible to all, while also allowing young people to get a wide variety of work and life experience.