In some areas, there is a relatively high degree of separation of pupils of different ethnicities across schools. As of January 2017, 60% of minority ethnic pupils were in schools where minority ethnic pupils are in the majority. This reduces opportunities for young people to form lasting relationships with those from other backgrounds and can restrict pupils’ outlook and education.
Out-of-school settings and home education, where it is not done well, can further reduce social mixing and risk exposing children to harmful views and practices.
The attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has decreased at both age 11 and age 16 since 2011, and overall gaps in educational achievement by ethnic group have narrowed considerably over the last 20 years.
At the end of August 2017, Ofsted data also showed that 89% of schools are rated good or outstanding. However, there are parts of the country where outcomes are falling behind, and particular groups of children, such as White British disadvantaged pupils, and pupils of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller ethnicity with consistently low attainment.
Segregated schools are a product of where people live, admissions policies and parental choice. Segregated schools reduce opportunities for children and young people to mix with others from different backgrounds in their formative years and it can restrict pupils’ outlook and education. In some areas, there is a relatively high degree of separation of pupils of different ethnicities across schools and in some areas the distribution of ethnic minority pupils in schools is uneven in comparison to the population residing in the wider area. In January 2017, 60% of minority ethnic pupils were in schools where minority ethnic pupils were in the majority.
Segregation in schools is exacerbated when children and young people do not have access to opportunities outside school to mix with people from different backgrounds or do not take up these opportunities.