Fairer funding for schools needs careful planning

The Sutton Trust report, ‘Background to Success’, investigates patterns of academic attainment of more than 3,000 students whose educational outcomes were studied across different phases of school and pre-school from age three to age 18.

Analysing gender, the report found that: boys were significantly less likely to have continued onto an academic route post 16 than girls; the absence of KS5 data is especially evident for disadvantaged boys, as almost 60 per cent of the disadvantaged boys in this sample did not continue on an academic route; and that disadvantaged boys were almost three times less likely to go on to enter four or more AS-level exams or to enter three or more A-level exams than other more advantaged boys.

It also discovered that: disadvantaged girls were also significantly less likely to have continued their academic career than more advantaged girls, although the achievement gap was less marked; and that disadvantaged girls were much less likely to enter four or more AS-level exams than other girls, and almost four times less likely to enter three or more A-levels than other girls.

Regarding ethnicity, the report found that: Students of white UK heritage, white European heritage or of mixed race were less likely to have progressed to advanced level courses than students from other ethnic groups; almost half of Indian students entered four or more AS-level exams and approximately half entered three or more A-levels, almost double the equivalent percentage for white UK students; and students who were eligible for or received free school meals in Year 11 were less likely to have progressed to advanced level studies post 16.

Taking into account place and location, ‘Background to Success’ suggested that students who lived in poor neighbourhoods were less likely to go on to advanced level courses than students who lived in more affluent neighbourhoods.

The report’s publishing is timely, as ministers are expected to publish plans on ‘fairer funding’ for schools soon after the Spending Review, as the government says it wants to ensure that all areas are funded justly.

The report said: "In the context of creating a fairly funded system, government should also consider the external effects that may combine to compound the effects on pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, including place poverty (living in neighbourhoods with high proportions of poor children, attending schools serving higher proportions of disadvantaged pupils) gender and ethnicity."

"As the government reviews the funding system, including the historic extra resources in such areas, it will be important to recognise the impact of 'double disadvantage' - the way living in a poor neighbourhood can compound the effects of family disadvantage."

Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “The report is right to point out that there is no ‘level playing field’ for children of different economic and social backgrounds. Education policy needs to take account of the differing experiences that children have in their communities and at home, and not assume that schools alone can overcome the multiple and significant challenges posed by poverty and social disadvantage.

“What we need is a credible, constructive and collegiate school improvement strategy and a serious government-led effort to reduce inequality and the number of children living in poverty.”

Read the report