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Select Committee · Education Committee

Left behind white pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds

Status: Closed Opened: 17 Apr 2020 Closed: 11 Jan 2022 26 recommendations 15 conclusions 1 report

The Education Committee is to investigate the issues faced by disadvantaged groups, with an initial inquiry into the educational underachievement of white pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds including white working class pupils. This inquiry will examine the extent of the achievement gap between this group and their peers and how it is measured, alongside a consideration … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - The forgotten: how White working-class pupil… HC 85 22 Jun 2021 41 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

7 items
10 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Accepted in Part

The Department for Education must make itself central to levelling-up, and ensure that a focus...

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government notes that much attainment data is already broken down by region and local authority, and commits to investigating where further regional and localised breakdowns can feasibly be added to increase data granularity.
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Department for Education
15 Conclusion First Report - The forgotten: how White… Accepted in Part

Having access to high quality early years provision helps disadvantaged children, including White working-class children.

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 Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the vital role of maintained nursery schools and has protected their supplementary funding until at least July 2022. It is also reviewing policy options for long-term funding, including permanent integration into the Early Years National Funding Formula.
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Department for Education
19 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Accepted in Part

The Government must explain how the National Centre for Family Hubs will support the development...

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.

Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation, detailing over £500 million for the Start for Life offer and funding 75 areas to expand Family Hubs, explaining how the National Centre will support development, but does not explicitly set bold targets for every town to have a Family …
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Department for Education
32 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Accepted in Part

The Department must do more to target funding to address attainment gaps, such as that...

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need to address attainment gaps, citing increased school funding and pupil premium funding. It has amended Pupil Premium conditions to require evidence-based spending and public statements but does not commit to weighting the premium for persistent disadvantage or specific reforms to …
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Department for Education
37 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Accepted in Part

For too long many schools have failed to fully deliver their obligations under the Baker...

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the need for an effective careers system and has appointed an independent adviser to develop recommendations for improved alignment by summer 2022. However, it states that failure to comply with the Baker Clause will not automatically mean a school is judged …
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Department for Education
38 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Accepted in Part

The Government must conduct a significant review of Government-funded careers agencies to identify if they...

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the need for an effective careers system and has appointed an independent adviser to develop recommendations for improved alignment by summer 2022. However, it explicitly rejects the committee's proposal to automatically limit a school's Ofsted grade for non-compliance with the Baker …
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Department for Education
40 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Accepted in Part

The OfS should review how it holds providers to account for ensuring all low- participation...

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with focusing on schools and strengthening guidance for the OfS on increasing access for White working-class students, noting existing efforts and a specific focus requested in 2021. However, it supports the OfS's individualised target approach rather than implementing a universal target as …
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Department for Education

Oral evidence sessions

8 sessions
Date Witnesses
19 May 2021 Dr Tony Sewell CBE · Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, Martyn Oliver · Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, Professor Steve Strand · University of Oxford View ↗
9 Feb 2021 Rt Hon. Nick Gibb MP · Department for Education, Vicky Ford MP · Department for Education View ↗
26 Jan 2021 Claire Smith · Halton Borough Council, Dr. Javed Khan · Barnardo’s, Louisa Reeves · I CAN, Merle Davies · Blackpool Centre for Early Child Development, Sonia Shaljean · Lads need Dads View ↗
7 Jan 2021 Chris Millward · Office for Students, Dr Graeme Atherton · The National Education Opportunities Network (NEON), Karen Spencer MBE · Harlow College, Professor Liz Barnes · Staffordshire University, Rae Tooth · Villiers Park Educational Trust View ↗
1 Dec 2020 Edward Davies · Centre for Social Justice, Katie Sullivan · Regenerate UK, Matt Leach · The Local Trust, Miriam Jordan Keane · The National Citizen Service, Suzanne Wilson · University of Central Lancashire View ↗
17 Nov 2020 Andrew Smith · Learning Pathways Academy, Claire-Marie Cuthbert · Evolve Trust, Clementine Stewart · Langford Primary School, Helena Mills CBE · BMAT Education, Nick Hurn OBE · Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, Ruth Robinson · Swindon and Nova Hreod Academies View ↗
3 Nov 2020 Dr Alex Gibson · University of Plymouth, Ed Vainker · Reach Academy, Henri Murison · Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Jonathan Douglas · The National Literacy Trust, Liz Bayram · Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY), Sammy Wright · Social Mobility Commission View ↗
13 Oct 2020 Dr Sam Baars · The Centre for Education and Youth, Mary Curnock Cook OBE, Professor Becky Francis · Education Endowment Foundation, Professor Diane Reay · University of Cambridge, Professor Lee Elliot Major · University of Exeter, Professor Matthew Goodwin · University of Kent View ↗

Who gave evidence

38 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Andrew Smith · Chief Executive Officer Learning Pathways Academy 1
Chris Millward · Director for Fair Access and Participation Office for Students 1
Claire Smith · Talk Halton Project Lead Halton Borough Council 1
Claire-Marie Cuthbert · Chief Executive Officer Evolve Trust 1
Clementine Stewart · Vice-Chair of Governors Langford Primary School 1
Dr Alex Gibson · Senior Research Fellow University of Plymouth 1
Dr Graeme Atherton · Director The National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) 1
Dr Sam Baars · Director of Research and Operations The Centre for Education and Youth 1
Dr Tony Sewell CBE · Chair Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities 1
Dr. Javed Khan · Chief Executive Officer Barnardo’s 1
Ed Vainker · Chief Executive Officer Reach Academy 1
Edward Davies · Director of Policy Centre for Social Justice 1
Helena Mills CBE · Chief Executive Officer BMAT Education 1
Henri Murison · Director Northern Powerhouse Partnership 1
Jonathan Douglas · Chief Executive The National Literacy Trust 1
Karen Spencer MBE · Principal Harlow College 1
Katie Sullivan · ‘Get Active’ Youth Work Co-ordinator Regenerate UK 1
Liz Bayram · Chief Executive Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) 1
Louisa Reeves · Head of Impact and Evidence I CAN 1
Martyn Oliver · Commissioner Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities 1
Mary Curnock Cook OBE — 1
Matt Leach · Chief Executive Officer The Local Trust 1
Merle Davies · Director Blackpool Centre for Early Child Development 1
Miriam Jordan Keane · Chief Marketing and Sales Officer The National Citizen Service 1
Nick Hurn OBE · Chief Executive Officer Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust 1
Professor Becky Francis · Chief Executive Education Endowment Foundation 1
Professor Diane Reay · Emeritus Professor of Education University of Cambridge 1
Professor Lee Elliot Major · Professor of Social Mobility University of Exeter 1
Professor Liz Barnes · Vice Chancellor Staffordshire University 1
Professor Matthew Goodwin · Professor of Politics and International Relations University of Kent 1
Professor Steve Strand · Professor of Education University of Oxford 1
Rae Tooth · Chief Executive Villiers Park Educational Trust 1
Rt Hon. Nick Gibb MP · Minister of State for School Standards Department for Education 1
Ruth Robinson · Executive Principal Swindon and Nova Hreod Academies 1
Sammy Wright · Social Mobility Commissioner Social Mobility Commission 1
Sonia Shaljean · Managing Director Lads need Dads 1
Suzanne Wilson · Research Fellow in Social Inclusion and Community… University of Central Lancashire 1
Vicky Ford MP · Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Childr… Department for Education 1

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
23 Mar 2021 To cttee Letter from the Minster of State for School Standards on careers advice and the…