Why did you say surprisingly a Tory? There are a great deal of Tories who go on about how the poorer aren't getting a fair chance... it's not that surprising at all...
In regards to tuition fees as they aren't being asked to pay money up front, they aren't being priced out - they only pay it back when they can afford to.
In regards to these children from poorer backgrounds it doesn't seem coincidence to me that we start discussing how they are out paced by their better off peers when we have seen the eradication of grammar schools, the removal of academic selection and the removal of the assisted places scheme.
In my view, there are a number of things we could do. Firstly, we should reintroduce grammar schools - change the test, as that is somewhat unnecessary. Grammar schools should be available for the brightest children from poorer backgrounds with courses catered to them. We should introduce academic selection into some comprehensive schools so that schools can adequately cater to their pupils.
We should reintroduce the assisted places scheme so that really bright children from poorer backgrounds can attend private schools paid for by the taxpayer. We need to introduce vocational schools as well - for some children, academic study just isn't the answer. For those children, they should be given a quick education to give them the absolute basic (the necessary information) then sent to a vocational school to get vocational study or told to get a job.
We need more catering to the needs of pupils. One size fits all; or standardisation, doesn't work. We need a more flexible national curriculum so that students can study to their strengths rather than be held back by weaknesses. Of course mathematics and English must be taught, but why are some students taught about mathematics that is irrelevant to the real world? For those that aren't interested or have a strength in traditional mathematics, they should be given a course in basic mathematics so that they are competent and are able to quickly calculate sums in their head.
Quadratic equations for example. Are they necessary for every child? I don't think so.