Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Rejected
Department expects disadvantage gap to narrow from summer 2023 with current measures
Conclusion
The Department told us that it hoped to see the disadvantage gap narrowing again from summer 2023.16 It accepted that one could always do more, but believed it now had a strong package of measures in place. The measures included things that were most likely to drive engagement from all pupils and particularly disadvantaged pupils. The Department also said that the way it had incentivised teachers to work in the most disadvantaged places was an important part of its efforts to close the disadvantage gap.17
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the committee's conclusion (which they perceived as a recommendation) about the Department's hopes for narrowing the disadvantage gap, reaffirming its commitment to doing so as quickly as possible through current programmes.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. The Department for Education (the department) is committed to narrowing the disadvantage gap as quickly as possible, using proven programmes and the best evidence, for example through the department’s funded work of the Education Endowment Foundation. This objective is central and should be threaded through all of the department’s programmes and work, rather than being a further separate plan. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, progress was made on improved outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. That progress was achieved through evidence-based improvements to curriculum and pedagogy, targeted help for pupils through the National Funding Formula, the continued development of the Pupil Premium and tilting of major programmes across all phases of education. The Schools White Paper, Opportunity for all: strong schools with great teachers for your child (published March 2022) set out steps to improve attainment for all pupils, including helping to provide children who fall behind with the support they need to get back on track. The pandemic impacted on the learning and development of all pupils, in particular disadvantaged pupils. That is why the £5 billion recovery programmes are principally targeted at disadvantaged pupils, supporting the narrowing of the disadvantage gap to pre-pandemic levels as quickly as possible. Key stage (KS) 2 national statistics, released on 11 July 2023, show that overall more pupils met the expected standard in this year’s mathematics and writing assessments than last year, and although reading has declined from last year it remains consistent with results in 2019 prior to the pandemic. Statistics on attainment in KS1, KS2 and phonics at regional and local authority level, and broken down by pupil and school characteristics (including disadvantaged pupils) will be published in Autumn 2023. The department continues to use evidence and wider insights to review progress towards our 2030 ambitions, across different cohorts and phases, to determine how best to support to support all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged.