EDUCATION ATTAINMENT GAP WIDENS FOR LOW-INCOME PUPILS

The disparity in academic performance between pupils from affluent households and those from lower-income families has grown in England, according to research by the Education Policy Institute. The organisation found that the disadvantage gap had expanded again after some post-pandemic improvements and remained larger "at every phase" of schooling than before Covid-19. The EPI measured disadvantage by comparing educational outcomes of children ever eligible for free school meals against those who were not. The gap was identified as "particularly stark" in early education.

The EPI reported that the overall difference in academic achievement between low-income and wealthier pupils had increased by 17 per cent for children in early years compared with pre-pandemic levels. By Key Stage 4, when pupils sit GCSEs, disadvantaged students were on average 19 months behind their better-off classmates, the report stated. Whilst gaps at some school stages had begun to narrow after the pandemic, widening resumed in early years and at Key Stage 4. For pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, the EPI found attainment gaps had narrowed for older age groups but reached record highs for children with education, health and care plans.

Regional variation emerged across the research. Disadvantaged pupils in London outperformed similar students in all other regions, according to the EPI findings. The gap between well-off and worse-off pupils had grown most significantly in the South-East and South-West. The Department for Education stated it was working to close the disadvantage gap through expanding government-funded childcare and extending free school meals eligibility.