Recommendations & Conclusions
41 items
1
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
For our inquiry we decided for pragmatic reasons to focus on FSM-eligible pupils. This is an imperfect measure, but data on FSM-eligibility and attainment is available for multiple cohorts at many stages of education, giving a good idea of the journey that disadvantaged White pupils go on. We know that …
Government response. We recognise that eligibility for Free School Meals (FSM) is an imperfect measure of disadvantage. We are continuously looking at our FSM data and are working closely with DWP to see where improvements can be made. The FSM Universal Credit …
Department for Education
2
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Department’s current way of evaluating and funding disadvantage, relying on current and historical FSM-eligibility, does not take account of the full range of challenges facing disadvantaged White pupils. It also makes external scrutiny of Government initiatives challenging. To understand what causes the underachievement of disadvantaged White pupils we need …
Government response. We recognise that eligibility for Free School Meals (FSM) is an imperfect measure of disadvantage. We are continuously looking at our FSM data and are working closely with DWP to see where improvements can be made. The FSM Universal Credit …
Department for Education
3
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Disadvantage is a gradient, not an ‘either-or’ of FSM-eligible or ‘advantaged’. To support disadvantaged White pupils the Government must refine its key measures of disadvantage and widen public access to its statistics. This should be done in a way that protects pupil anonymity as a priority, for example by redacting …
Government response. We recognise that eligibility for Free School Meals (FSM) is an imperfect measure of disadvantage. We are continuously looking at our FSM data and are working closely with DWP to see where improvements can be made. The FSM Universal Credit …
Department for Education
4
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Our inquiry has shown that poor White pupils are far from “privileged” in education.
Department for Education
5
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Schools should consider whether the promotion of politically controversial terminology, including White Privilege, is consistent with their duties under the Equality Act 2010. The Department should take steps to ensure that young people are not inadvertently being inducted into political movements when what is required is balanced, age- appropriate discussion …
Government response. 21. Schools play a crucial role in helping pupils understand the world around them and their place within it, and in teaching about respect for other people and for difference. Schools must not promote partisan political views and should take …
Department for Education
6
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Disadvantaged White pupils fall behind their peers at every stage of education. Every year, thousands of disadvantaged White pupils leave school without strong passes in English and Maths GCSE. We recognise the efforts that the Government has made to close this gap, but the Department has fallen victim to muddled …
Government response. The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people remains a priority for the Government, both in responding to the current pressures felt by the pandemic and in the longer term. The Government remains committed to our green paper …
Department for Education
7
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Schools have an important role in how well disadvantaged White children recover from the pandemic. This relates to academic progress, emotional development, and good mental health. This is as true for disadvantaged White pupils as it is for other groups, particularly given NHS statistics indicate that around 18% of White …
Government response. The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people remains a priority for the Government, both in responding to the current pressures felt by the pandemic and in the longer term. The Government remains committed to our green paper …
Department for Education
8
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Government must develop a more rounded view of what children need and what positive outcomes for children are as we recover from the pandemic. Specifically, with regard to mental health, we believe that the Department must fast-track its commitments under the 2018 Green Paper, particularly with regard to ensuring …
Government response. 24. The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people remains a priority for the Government, both in responding to the current pressures felt by the pandemic and in the longer term. 25. The Government remains committed to our …
Department for Education
9
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Government has committed to ‘levelling up’, but there remain stark differences in educational outcomes in different parts of the country, which seem likely to be exacerbated by the differential impact of covid-19. Education is a part of a larger whole with regard to geographic inequalities. Without improvements to local …
Government response. 34. Many of our attainment measures are broken down by region, local authority and local authority district and parliamentary constituency in the National Statistics. Institution level data is also available on the Compare School and College Performance website for Key …
Department for Education
10
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Department for Education must make itself central to levelling-up, and ensure that a focus on improving outcomes for children of all ages is a key part of any Government initiative to equalise opportunity and productivity across the country. Publishing all data on attainment measures on as localised a basis …
Government response. Many of our attainment measures are broken down by region, local authority and local authority district and parliamentary constituency in the National Statistics. Institution level data is also available on the Compare School and College Performance website for Key stages …
Department for Education
11
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
We need a better solution to geographic disparities in education. The Government must acknowledge the diversity of challenges facing disadvantaged White communities and develop better ways to target support. We understand that Opportunity Areas are a relatively recent policy and it is difficult to evaluate them. We heard evidence about …
Government response. The [...truncated...]
Department for Education
12
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
We were disappointed that the Department is investing another £18 million in a policy which is reaching limited numbers of pupils and seems to be generating little return on investment. We urge the Department to set out a clear methodology to define what the programme’s success criteria are. These should …
Government response. The [...truncated...]
Department for Education
13
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The free school system has failed to place new schools in areas of highest need and so has failed to reach left behind pupils, and should be encouraged in areas of disadvantage or deprivation.
Department for Education
14
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Department must take a more proactive role in directing the evolution of free schools. It is not enough to suppose that disadvantaged White communities in left- behind areas will have the same resources as inner-city areas to create their own outstanding schools. All future free schools must be established …
Department for Education
15
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Having access to high quality early years provision helps disadvantaged children, including White working-class children. Maintained nursery schools deliver consistently high outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, but they face financial difficulties. (Paragraph 79) The forgotten: how White working-class pupils have been let down, and how to change it 59
Department for Education
16
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Government’s announcement of continued supplementary funding for maintained nursery schools is welcome, but the underlying issues of short-termism and insufficiency remain and are more acute as a result of the pandemic. It is not enough for the Government to continually push a decision on the long-term future of maintained …
Department for Education
17
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
High-quality, joined-up education and health support for disadvantaged White families in the early years of their child’s life is crucial and has demonstrable benefits. The Family Hub model is ideally placed to deliver continuity of support and care, helping disadvantaged White families build relationships with trusted contacts, navigate a complex …
Department for Education
18
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
However, there are areas of the country, including those serving disadvantaged White communities, where families do not have this support. The Government’s work on the National Centre, and investment of £14 million is positive, but children need this support now.
Department for Education
19
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Government must explain how the National Centre for Family Hubs will support the development of Family Hubs and should set out bold targets for every town to have a Family Hub using existing community assets where appropriate.
Department for Education
20
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
All Family Hubs must have a clear strategy for the early years, with the aim of bringing services, including health visitors and early years educators, together into one place to make it easier for disadvantaged White families to navigate the system, particularly with regard to taking full advantage of their …
Department for Education
21
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
We know that parents who are willing and able to engage with their children’s education have a positive influence on it. But we must not assume that all parents have the knowledge and skills to do so. We also know that the potential of Family Hubs to deliver “universal and …
Department for Education
22
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Schools are well placed to be trusted institutions that can support and work with Family Hubs to build strong relationships and help disadvantaged White parents 60 The forgotten: how White working-class pupils have been let down, and how to change it and carers help their children. Organisations like Reach Academy …
Department for Education
23
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Department must ensure that disadvantaged White communities are a priority for support. Schools should be an important part of the work of developing Family Hub models, following the example of the Reach Children’s Hub. The Department must help schools emulate this model by inviting applications to open free schools …
Government response. We recognise the importance of early intervention and have committed to championing Family Hubs as a place for parents to go with their children to access help that might otherwise be hard to find. In the long term, our ambition …
Department for Education
24
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
There is an important role for civil society organisations, such as youth clubs and youth services, working with schools and families to build social capital and provide positive role models for disadvantaged young White people. We were concerned to hear that funding pressures are having an impact on how well …
Department for Education
25
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Department must ensure that schools have the capacity to build a triangle of support for disadvantaged young people between schools, youth organisations and families, and consider introducing guidance for a designated extra-curricular co- ordinator in all schools.
Department for Education
26
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Given the number of disadvantaged White pupils leaving education every year without a strong pass in English and Maths GCSE, it seems that the impact of parental lack of confidence in learning will continue. Helping disadvantaged White parents with their learning could benefit disadvantaged White pupils.
Department for Education
27
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Our report on adult skills highlighted the decline in support for adult learners. Evidence suggested to us that disadvantaged White parents may particularly struggle with their own levels of education, which may impact on their children’s learning. The Department must give more serious thought to how it may implement our …
Department for Education
28
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Good teachers who understand disadvantaged White students’ needs and who can be good role models are central to raising this group’s outcomes. We know that teaching quality is worse in disadvantaged areas than in wealthier areas, with schools less likely to be rated good or outstanding by Ofsted for their …
Government response. 87. We recognise the pressures schools have faced and have listened to teachers and parents. This Government has announced the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade, which will give every school more money for every child. As a …
Department for Education
29
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
High quality teaching is particularly transformative for disadvantaged pupils. Over a school year, these pupils get 1.5 years’ worth of learning with high quality teachers, compared with 0.5 years with poorly performing teachers. To support the development of local teachers, we should incentivise highly commended initial teacher training providers (like …
Government response. 87. We recognise the pressures schools have faced and have listened to teachers and parents. This Government has announced the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade, which will give every school more money for every child. As a …
Department for Education
30
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
School funding has failed to keep pace with where deprivation is in the country, and as a result schools serving disadvantaged communities, including disadvantaged White communities, have suffered financially. The National Funding Formula promises to correct this, but the formula’s changes have not yet been fully enacted, and we have …
Government response. 87. We recognise the pressures schools have faced and have listened to teachers and parents. This Government has announced the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade, which will give every school more money for every child. As a …
Department for Education
31
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Additional funding for disadvantaged students, including disadvantaged White students, is welcome, but is insufficient and insufficiently targeted and does not always reflect true level of need. This seems to have extended to the Government’s “catch-up” funding, with insufficiently targeted formulas and schemes that are not reaching the children, including disadvantaged …
Government response. 87. We recognise the pressures schools have faced and have listened to teachers and parents. This Government has announced the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade, which will give every school more money for every child. As a …
Department for Education
32
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Department must do more to target funding to address attainment gaps, such as that which persistently affects disadvantaged White pupils. This should begin with reform to the pupil premium, which should be weighted to account for persistent disadvantage, including in disadvantaged White communities, in line with our recommendation on …
Government response. 87. We recognise the pressures schools have faced and have listened to teachers and parents. This Government has announced the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade, which will give every school more money for every child. As a …
Department for Education
33
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Department must also acknowledge that due to funding pressures 34% of headteachers are using the premium to plug financial gaps in other parts of their operation. We note the Department’s recent changes to the conditions of the pupil premium grant, but in the light of the Sutton Trust’s findings …
Government response. 87. We recognise the pressures schools have faced and have listened to teachers and parents. This Government has announced the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade, which will give every school more money for every child. As a …
Department for Education
34
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
We support the Department’s insistence that all children should benefit from an ambitious and challenging curriculum. A culture of low expectations is damaging for White working-class children. However, too many disadvantaged White pupils are leaving school without essential qualifications, and something needs to change to re-engage these learners in their …
Government response. Every state-funded school must offer a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. The Government wants pupils to leave …
Department for Education
35
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Department must revisit the benefits of celebrating greater diversity of subjects in the pre-16 curriculum. The focus should be ensuring all pupils achieve the essential level of qualifications they need with academic rigour and high expectations, while acknowledging the value of vocational and skills-based subjects and their potential to …
Government response. Every state-funded school must offer a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. The Government wants pupils to leave …
Department for Education
36
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Level 2 apprenticeships are a vital stepping-stone for disadvantaged learners. The Department must investigate and address the falling numbers of apprenticeship starts from deprived communities, to ensure disadvantaged White pupils have equal access to the opportunities offered by skills-based routes. As the Centre for Social Justice recommends, the Government should …
Government response. We agree with the Committee that apprenticeships are a vital stepping-stone for young people, and that disadvantaged pupils should have equal access to them. Apprenticeships are jobs with training, and so the apprenticeship opportunities available in different regions depend on …
Department for Education
37
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
For too long many schools have failed to fully deliver their obligations under the Baker Clause. This must be more uniformly enforced to prevent many disadvantaged pupils, including disadvantaged White pupils, missing the opportunity to access a variety of careers. We will monitor Ofsted’s review of careers guidance in schools …
Government response. 117. We agree with the Committee that we need to ensure the careers system is effective in supporting people from all backgrounds. That is why the Secretary of State has appointed Professor Sir John Holman as Independent Strategic Adviser on …
Department for Education
38
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The Government must conduct a significant review of Government-funded careers agencies to identify if they are focused on skills, building employer-school partnerships and helping those from White working class in schools in disadvantaged areas. The Government should bring forward measures to tie Government-funded careers advice support to compliance with the …
Government response. 117. We agree with the Committee that we need to ensure the careers system is effective in supporting people from all backgrounds. That is why the Secretary of State has appointed Professor Sir John Holman as Independent Strategic Adviser on …
Department for Education
39
Conclusion
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
Accessing higher education is the “end of the funnel” for many pupils’ academic journeys. Evidence suggests that for disadvantaged White pupils the funnel narrows dramatically on leaving school. These statistics represent the outcome of accumulated educational disadvantage starting in early years and persisting through primary and secondary education. We share …
Government response. 124. It is essential that education beyond the age of 18 offers opportunities for real social mobility and equality of opportunity for White working-class students, and other under-represented groups. It must ensure that students are able to make the right …
Department for Education
40
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The OfS should review how it holds providers to account for ensuring all low- participation groups are equally supported into higher education. This should not just be about inclusion, but ensuring disadvantaged White pupils are also completing their courses and progressing on to skilled work and satisfying careers. The OfS …
Government response. 124. It is essential that education beyond the age of 18 offers opportunities for real social mobility and equality of opportunity for White working-class students, and other under-represented groups. It must ensure that students are able to make the right …
Department for Education
41
Recommendation
First Report - The forgotten: how White…
The OfS should also commit to a report to Parliament in a year’s time to review progress against this measure and their targets and the Secretary of State’s request for a focus on disadvantaged White boys accessing higher education. The OfS should review how it classifies ‘under-represented groups’ to ensure …
Government response. 129. The OfS produces an annual report each year which highlights the progress it has made across all of its functions including access and participation. Furthermore, it publishes the outcomes of its annual monitoring of providers’ access and partnership plans …
Department for Education