First published in The Times Red Box, 13th October 2020:
At all stages of life, many white young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are underachieving in education. The struggle starts early, with four and five-year-old white British pupils eligible for free school meals lagging behind the average.
This inequality persists through their school careers. White pupils who are eligible for free meals are the largest ethnic disadvantaged group failing to reach national school benchmarks at age 16.
Unsurprisingly, after years of being behind, the disparity in university admissions is stark, particularly for boys, with just 13 per cent gaining admission.
While we must recognise that there are other groups which similarly struggle throughout their educational lives, the problems faced by the white working class are entrenched and have been going under the radar for far too long.
My cross-party education committee in the House of Commons, as part of a wider examination of left-behind groups in society, is looking at the reasons behind the imbalance. This morning we will be holding our first oral evidence session with experts. We want to know what needs to be done to ensure white pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds can truly start fulfilling their potential.
Action must start in the first years of life. We have already taken evidence as part of our inquiry on the importance of the early years. There is compelling evidence that the first few years of a child’s life are vital in development, yet there is research that shows children living in persistently poor white British households are much less likely than others to have the benefit of their full entitlement of free childcare.
It perhaps comes as no surprise then that, as the Department for Education’s own submission highlights, 40 per cent of the overall attainment gap between disadvantaged 16-year-olds and their peers has already emerged by the time the child is five.
The DfE goes on to talk about experiences in school, acknowledging a “simple truth” that not everyone – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – has access to a great education yet. Other submissions highlighted the problem of lower expectations of pupils in left-behind areas, with the risk of a “vicious circle” which produces and reinforces stereotypes regarding disadvantaged groups.
A greater focus on mental and emotional health and diversifying both the curriculum and teaching workforce could help redress this imbalance.
Looking further up life’s ladder, we have received submissions calling for improvements to vocational and technical education to serve a wider range of talents and support more young people into work.
I have always been a passionate advocate of ensuring disadvantaged young people can access further and higher education and I am a firm believer that apprenticeships can transform lives. They can be particularly attractive to young people from all disadvantaged groups, who may be put off going to university by the cost and time involved.
Our inquiry has already thrown light on the problems faced by white disadvantaged pupils. I am determined that as we search for answers, the committee will play its part in addressing an unacceptable imbalance in our society and come up with a joined-up approach that can make a real difference at every stage of life.
It is the committee’s mission to stand up for the most disadvantaged in society and give them a voice. This will be just part of our wider look at left-behind groups, to ensure everyone, no matter their ethnicity, gender or background, can get on in life and climb that educational ladder of opportunity.
