Region’s children are failed as falling standards hit prospects

Save the Children is warning that there are 3,300 seven-year-old pupils in the region who now have less than a one-in-six chance of getting five good GCSEs through no fault of their own.

In its report, the organisation warns that failing to harness the potential of the nation’s poorest children could cost the economy £30bn by 2030.

It comes as new figures from the Department for Education show poor seven-year-old pupils in Yorkshire are performing worse than anywhere else in the country at reading, writing and maths.

Almost a quarter of pupils from deprived backgrounds failed to get to the expected standard in reading in Yorkshire schools. A third are not reaching the expected standard in writing and more than one-in-five are not performing in maths.

Save the Children said today that by the time these children are seven, nearly 80 per cent of the difference in GCSE results between rich and poor children has already been determined.

It said the first two years at school are a crucial window for closing the attainment gap and calls for more investment to help primary-age pupils.

Chief executive Justin Forsyth said: “Many children starting school this term already have the odds stacked against them. The cost of failing is a young child without a fair chance in life however hard they try.”

The Department for Education said it was “utterly unacceptable” so many poorer children left primary school without a firm grasp of reading, writing and maths.

A spokesman said it was increasing the pupil premium to £2.5bn a year and doubling the number free nursery places for disadvantaged two-year-olds.

“Many thousands of children will now receive the extra support they need to catch up,” he said.