Education gap between richest and poorest grows fastest in Yorkshire

New analysis of this summer’s A-Level results shows that the gap between the richest and poorest has widened in every English region over the last four years, except in London, the West Midlands and (to a lesser extent) the North West.

Research by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) found the gap has narrowed the most in London, followed by the West Midlands, while it has widened the most in Yorkshire and the Humber.

32.4 per cent of students in Yorkshire and the Humber achieved A* and A grades, compared with 39.5 per cent in the South East.

Evidence suggests that this is partly due to demographic differences between regions, the partnership said.

Previous research has found greater concentrations of disadvantaged pupils from so called “high-

impact” groups in the North of England, leading to a substantial north-south divide in education.

These are defined as those children who have been eligible for free school meals for at least 80 per cent of their time in education, and come from ethnic groups less likely to excel in education; black Caribbean and white.

According to the organisation, 6 per cent of pupils in Yorkshire and the Humber were found to fall into this category, compared with an average of 5.1% for England as a whole and just 2.8% in Outer London.

This issue has been compounded by learning loss during the pandemic and digital divide, with those without devices unable to learn effectively from home due to issues in the government’s laptop scheme.

During lockdown, only 14% of children in the North received four or more pieces of offline

schoolwork per day, compared with 20% country-wide, the analysis found.

The disadvantage gap has widened the most in Sheffield, Calderdale, Rotherham and Doncaster, while it has narrowed in North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, York and Wakefield.

To help redress the balance, NPP is calling for an all-age pupil premium, equalised from early years through to age 19, targeted at those who experience persistent disadvantages.

Dr Helen Rafferty is the Senior Programme Manager at Leeds-based education charity SHINE.

She said: “It is disappointing that there is an increasing disparity in A-level results between children who experience less privilege and their peers from wealthier households in nearly every region of England; it is especially discouraging that this gap appears wider still in Yorkshire.

“We would call for a continued review of the funding available to support post-16 routes for all students, but particularly in areas that have experienced a high level of long-term deprivation.

Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “The gap at A-level between the North and London at the highest grades has grown since the start of the pandemic.

“Worryingly, Yorkshire has also seen the long-standing gap between disadvantaged children and their peers widen the most, exacerbating the north-south divide in education - especially as the gap has narrowed in London.

“While schools got a welcome funding boost (in the Autumn Statement), we were disappointed to see no new investment for further education, which is critical for providing young people with the training they need to go into well-paid jobs, at a time when businesses are crying out for more skilled workers.

“Without action on this and reform to pupil premium, our plans for growth will be severely constrained.

“We will be calling on Skills Minister (and long-standing champion of these issues) Rob Halfon MP and his new adviser Sir Michael Barber to work with us to tackle these challenges, a key part of driving up Northern productivity.”