Poor children’s progress falls after primary school, research suggest

The gap between poor pupils’ attainment at the end of primary school and the end of secondary has widened, according to research by the Social Mobility Commission.

Findings show that since 2012, poorer families have been making less progress year on year, in comparison to those that are more well-off.

Children on free school meals achieve almost half a GCSE grade less in Attainment 8 core subjects than more affluent pupils, according to the report, and 88 per cent of this gap is believed to be due to differences between pupils at the same school.

The Social Mobility Commission also stated that they found “high-quality teachers who believe that poor children are capable of making progress are key to ensuring progress”.

In addition, the Commission stated that pupils from poorer families are less likely to make progress when they are grouped from an early age, and that teaching pupils with SEND needs should be prioritised.

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn, chair of the Social Mobility Commission, said: One of the shocking features of our education system is that the gap between poor pupils and their better-off peers increases during their time in school rather than reducing.

“This new research suggests that the progress poor pupils make in primary school are all but wiped out during secondary. The consequence is that successive generations of poor children are being let down by a school system that is supposed to be there to help them move up and get on.”