Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
First Report - The forgotten: how White working-class pupils have been let down, and how to change it
Education Committee
HC 85
Published 22 June 2021
Government response
The forgotten: how White working-class pupils have been let down, and how to change it - Government response to the Committee’s First Report · published 4 Nov 2021
Recommendations & Conclusions
6
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Disadvantaged White pupils fall behind their peers at every stage of education.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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.
Department for Education
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11
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Para 65
We need a better solution to geographic disparities in education.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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.
Department for Education
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12
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Para 66
We were disappointed that the Department is investing another £18 million in a policy which...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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.
Department for Education
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23
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Para 102
The Department must ensure that disadvantaged White communities are a priority for support.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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.
Department for Education
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29
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Para 116
High quality teaching is particularly transformative for disadvantaged pupils.
Recommendation
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, …
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Government Response 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.
Department for Education
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33
Recommendation
Not Addressed
The Department must also acknowledge that due to funding pressures 34% of headteachers are using...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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.
Department for Education
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