This paper argues that working-class widening participation in education is not necessarily new. While it can be argued that it was established in the late twentieth century as a concept and government strategy, aspects of its origins can be traced back to movements such as the mechanics' institute movement, first established by the 1850s. Such developments provide some evidence of working-class individuals accessing general, vocational, elementary, and even higher education which would otherwise have been denied to them. However, what this paper argues is that, whilst there were some comparable features between the two centuries, others reveal a policy environment and discourse in the twenty-first century that serves to maintain the position of working-class individuals, rather than supporting social mobility. Adult, informal and vocational courses at various levels can provide alternative routes to that of higher education. It also provides an example of how awareness of historical developments can be illuminating of today's policy discourse.