Attainment gap over school results for white working-class children a 'disgrace', says Education Secretary

Fewer than a fifth of poorer white students achieved a strong pass at English and maths GCSE last year, compared to nearly half of all state school pupils in England.

Now the Education Secretary has said it is a “national disgrace” that so many young people are “written off" under these background and wealth divides.

Speaking ahead of A-level results day on Thursday, Bridget Phillipson has pledged to tackle the "thorny" challenge as she calls it her “priority” for the year ahead. And as findings show that more and more young people are choosing to live at home through university as the cost of living crisis rises, there are warnings over the wider impact.

Today, with white working-class young people falling behind their peers in school, Ms Phillipson warns they do not get what they need in the education system.

“They’re not well positioned to carry on with studies, to get an apprenticeship, to go on to university," she said. "(It) is a national disgrace that so many young people are written off and don’t get what they need to achieve and thrive.”

She added: “Far too many young people, particularly white working-class British students, don’t get the exam results that they need at GCSE or A-level to allow them to continue onto university.”

Education leaders have long warned over worsening outcomes for white working-class pupils. A report from the Government's Education Committee in 2021, focusing on "the forgotten" students, highlighted the persistent underachievement of disadvantaged white pupils.

Nationally, just 18.6 per cent of white British pupils eligible for free school meals achieved at least a grade 5 – which is considered a “strong pass” – in their English and maths GCSEs. This is compared to 45.9 per cent of all state school pupils in England last academic year, according to Department for Education (DfE) data.

An independent inquiry into the educational outcomes of white working-class children was commissioned by Sir Hamid Patel, chief executive of the multi-academy trust Star Academies, in June.

And ahead of this week's A-level results day on Thursday, the Government has said it is to set out its plans for the challenge in a schools white paper this coming autumn.

Speaking before the start of the new academic year, Ms Phillipson said: “My big priority for this year will be how we focus on the really stark picture that we see around attainment and outcomes for children from white working-class backgrounds.”

Students are to receive their A-level results on Thursday, with findings that more pupils are choosing to commute as university cost pressures rise. See Page 2.