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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

6 items
6 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Not Addressed

Disadvantaged White pupils fall behind their peers at every stage of education.

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government outlines various existing initiatives for children's mental health and disadvantaged pupils, including funding for MHSTs, recovery premium, and PE/Sport Premium, but does not explicitly acknowledge the identified underachievement of disadvantaged White pupils or commit to a new, specifically targeted approach for this group.
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Department for Education
11 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Not Addressed

We need a better solution to geographic disparities in education.

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response is truncated and therefore does not allow for a full assessment of its commitment to acknowledging diverse challenges and developing better targeted support for disadvantaged White communities.
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Department for Education
12 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Not Addressed

We were disappointed that the Department is investing another £18 million in a policy which...

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response is truncated and therefore does not allow for a full assessment of its commitment to setting out clear success criteria for the programme and ensuring funding goes to frontline services.
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Department for Education
23 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Not Addressed

The Department must ensure that disadvantaged White communities are a priority for support.

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of early intervention and Family Hubs but does not specifically address the recommendation for the Department to help schools emulate specific models, invite applications for 'cradle to career' free schools, or support parental engagement strategies.
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Department for Education
29 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Not Addressed

High quality teaching is particularly transformative for disadvantaged pupils.

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response highlights general school funding increases and changes to Pupil Premium conditions to ensure evidence-based spending for disadvantaged pupils, but does not address the specific recommendations regarding teacher training incentives, targeted recruitment, apprenticeships, or specific bursaries for challenging areas.
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Department for Education
33 Recommendation First Report - The forgotten: how White… Not Addressed

The Department must also acknowledge that due to funding pressures 34% of headteachers are using...

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response reiterates existing general school funding increases and recent amendments to Pupil Premium conditions requiring evidence-based spending and publication of online statements, but does not commit to the specific recommendation of ringfencing a percentage of the Pupil Premium for enrichment activities.
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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…