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Policy – Rich and poor school gap widens

Policy – Rich and poor school gap widens

Preeti Jha, Regen.net, 6 January 2009

The gap between rich and poor schools increased by two percentage points in 2007 on a key measure of performance, official figures reveal. In schools where more than half of pupils are eligible for free school meals, the proportion of children achieving five good GCSEs, including English and mathematics, decreased from 14 per cent in 2006 to 13 per cent in 2007, according to the figures. But at schools where less than one in 10 pupils are eligible for free meals, the proportion achieving five good GCSEs increased from 57 per cent to 58 per cent, the figures show.

Shadow children’s secretary Michael Gove, who obtained the figures in a written parliamentary answer, said: “Parents and children, particularly those from deprived backgrounds, are being let down by this block on opportunity.” But children’s minister Baroness Morgan said: “More children on free school meals get five GCSE A*-Cs than a decade ago.” She added: “This is a complex and challenging issue but no-one should be in any doubt that it is one we are tackling head on.”

February 11, 2009 - Posted by Abu-Tayeb Khairdeen | Schools and Education | education, schools