Where children live affects how well they do, says report

How well children do at school is largely affected by where they live, according to a study from the Commission on Inequality in Education, chaired by Nick Clegg.

The study found that the educational gap between poor and rich children is now wider than it was a generation ago, with pupils in poorer areas - and especially the white working class – falling further behind those from richer homes.

The commission, part of the Social Market Foundation think tank, identified big differences in the qualifications of teachers in poor and rich areas. Pupils in disadvantaged areas are more likely to be taught by younger teachers who lack a degree in their subject and who are likely to leave for another job after a short time. Schools in more affluent places are also more likely to have experienced teachers who remain in their post for long periods.

The cross-party commission has produced six recommendations to reduce educational inequality. It wants schools in disadvantaged areas to get funds to help teachers with renting or buying a home, to enable them to attract and keep good teachers.

It calls for teachers to have to teach in disadvantaged schools if they want to obtain the headship qualification and schools must publish data on training provision and turnover rates for early-career teachers in different schools.

The study also identifies differences in parental engagement as a key factor in the education gap between rich and poor. To address this, the report calls for new contracts between teachers and parents, outlining responsibilities around homework, support and contact and “family literacy” classes in poorer areas for primary schools.

The chair of the commission Nick Clegg said: “Despite all the changes in education policy over the years – under Governments of all persuasions – inequality in our school system has sadly remained a constant. This report represents a serious attempt at forging a cross-party consensus on how to tackle one of the great injustices in our country.

“It is simply unacceptable that, as revealed in our report, poorer children are generally taught by less experienced teachers and that their life chances are shaped by the postcode in which they live. In the end, this report confirms something that everybody intuitively knows already: the best education relies on good quality teachers and supportive parents. Our recommendations include specific proposals to support both.”