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Progress Made By High-Attaining Children From Disadvantaged Backgrounds

Child poverty is a huge waste of young talent. This is the outcome of a study released by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, which confirms that education is a key driver of social mobility and reducing educational inequality. This report tracks the performance of high-achieving pupils from poor backgrounds through the education system and compares their trajectories with those of their more advantaged peers. Leadership Briefing Issue 8.12(96)

Summary

Specifically, the report considers the trajectories of poor children who make it to high-status (or ‘elite’) universities (defined as Russell Group institutions or other institutions with similarly high Research Assessment Exercise scores).

Main Findings:

■ Students from poorer backgrounds are far less likely to achieve these high levels of attainment.
For example:

  • 1. Only 8.9% of the most deprived children reach level 3 in both reading and maths at Key Stage 1, compared with 27% of the least deprived children.
  • 2. At Key Stage 2, 7.1% of those who always claim FSM attain level 5 in English and maths, compared with 19% of those who do not always claim FSM.
  • 3. At Key Stage 4, 92% of selective state school children have at least five good GCSEs in EBacc subjects, compared with 33% of non-selective state school students.

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