Poor but bright pupils falling behind better-off classmates

Disadvantaged clever pupils are lagging behind their classmates that are considered “better off” by about two and a half years in core subjects, data suggests.

According to research carried out by Sutton Trust, poorer students are falling behind in maths, science and reading, in comparison to pupils that are considered well-off.

The data shows that the attainment gaps within the most able 10 per cent of pupils is even bigger for girls than boys, which stands at about three years in science and reading.

The Global Gaps report analyses the 2015 test scores from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development (OECD) PISA test to see how well UK school are doing for the top 10 per cent of pupils.

Findings show that socio-economic gaps between high achieving pupils are significant through a lot of the developed world.

It shows that England’s highest achievers score above the median score for OECD countries in maths, science and reading.

However, bright pupils in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland perform worse on average. In addition, maths skills in highly able Scottish Pupils has declined in the last eight years.

Research shows that the socio-economic gap in science for clever girls in England equates to three years of schooling - eight months greater than that for boys.

Whereas in terms of reading, the three-year gap is nine months bigger than that for boys. The ability for boys and girls in maths has no significant gender difference, with a gap of about two years and nine months for both.

Earlier research by the trust also found that 36 per cent of bright, yet disadvantaged boys seriously underachieve at the age of 16.

Trust founder and chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation, Sir Peter Lampl, commented: “It is staggering that at age 16 bright but poor pupils lag behind their rich classmates by almost three years.

“This results in a huge waste of talent which is why we at the Sutton Trust are calling on the government to establish a Highly Able Fund.

“High potential pupils would be monitored and given specific support. This would improve social mobility at the top by widening access to leading universities and to top jobs.”