EB / News / Inspections / Commission launched to investigate inequality in schools
Commission launched to investigate inequality in schools
EB News: 13/01/2016 - 11:23
A new commission by the Social Market Foundation (SMF) has been launched to examine the cause and effect of ‘Inequality in Education’.
The commission will be led by former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who will be joined by MP’s Suella Fernandes and Stephen Kinnock. They will also be joined by Sam Freedman, executive director of programmes at Teach First and Becky Allen, director of Education Datalab.
Clegg highlighted that new initial research from the group suggests regional differences in attainment have worsened in some areas over the last decade.
He said: “What is now becoming clear is that inequality in education comes in many shapes and sizes.
“It is not just the relative wealth of parents that holds large numbers of bright kids back: it is postcode inequality too.”
A new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) finds that the Department for Education (DfE) lacks a coherent plan, suitable targets and sufficient evidence of what works as it seeks to improve teacher recruitment and retention.
A report from the Children’s Commissioner calls for improved access to school transport so as many children as possible benefit from free bus travel, and for all eligible children to be auto-enrolled to receive free school meals.
New research from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) found that disadvantaged students are, on average, one-fifth of a grade behind in English and one-eighth of a grade behind in maths when resitting GCSEs