BARONESS Blackstone writes of the scope for growth in higher education from non-traditional sections of the population - "older men and women from lower middle-class and working-class backgrounds" (THES, October 17).

I have obviously got my sums wrong and need some help. It costs me Pounds 4,700 a year to keep my son at university in living expenses only. Further children will cost around Pounds 5,500 a year. I can only pretend to afford this because I work full-time.

Here is my problem: If I was one of those "non-traditional" recruits, presumably the cost to me would be about the same as it costs me to send my own children.

But if I was going to university, then I would not be able to work. So how would I pay my Pounds 5,500 a year just to go to university and then how would I pay for the house, food, bills and keeping my children?

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If I decided to do the degree part-time, my costs would be more like Pounds 12,000 a year, as I would have to pay all my fees and not just a contribution towards them, so that would not really help would it?

I really like the sound of all this lifelong learning business and I think it is excellent to give those who missed out the chance to do it now.

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But could there be some sort of introductory course in how to go about it, because I just cannot figure out how it works?

Christine Doubleday Botley Road Oxford