11-plus exam is a “loaded dice” in favour of wealthier pupils
Poor pupils with the same SATs score as richer peers do worse in grammar school entrance exams, research shows.
According to a study by Education Datalab, the Kent Test, the entrance exam in Kent, was a “loaded dice” against pupils on free school meals because they were not coached for the test, unlike their wealthier peers.
The study, which looked at 21,800 pupils who started secondary school in Kent in 2016, found that the pupils on free school meals (FSM) who got the same SATs score as those who do not receive FSM, received an average 8.7 points lower on the 11-plus test.
It is believed that this is because FSM pupils struggled more with the style of the test.
The research concluded that poorer pupils should be given extra marks and headteacher panels which reconsider the fate of the pupils who do not pass the test should be scrapped.
Read moreLatest News
14/11/2025 - 11:04
England’s councils are warning of a "ticking time bomb" in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, with new data showing deficits that could bankrupt local authorities within three years.
13/11/2025 - 12:14
Event for school leaders, governors and education professionals relocates to the historic Old Billingsgate venue in London.
13/11/2025 - 09:49
The regulations have been set following a second consultation and detailed collaborative working with organisations and people across deaf and hearing communities.
13/11/2025 - 09:39
The Education Committee has published a letter to the Secretary of State for Education asking for more detail about the Department for Education’s work on developing its SEND reforms.
13/11/2025 - 09:26
New analysis by NFER has highlighted the uneven distribution of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across mainstream schools in England.
