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www.teachwire.ne t | 23 L ast year, pupils from poorer families in England were a third less likely to achieve the expected standards in reading, writing and maths on finishing primary school than children from better-off homes. The attainment gap – the difference in education outcomes between low-income students and their better-off peers – has widened significantly at KS2 since the pandemic. It’s now at levels that haven’t been seen since 2011/12. We also know that the attainment gap only widens further post primary school as pupils make their way through the education system. So this is a crucial moment in which to tackle the disparity, and it is vital that action is taken now to stem the growth in educational inequality across the country. The attainment gap has been with us for a long time and has proven a stubborn opponent, but we know there are interventions available to help close it. For example, evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation has found small- group tutoring can help primary pupils make on average four months’ worth of additional progress. Pre-school breakfast clubs are another evidenced-backed intervention that can have a real impact. But schools need funding to put these interventions in place, as well as wider changes throughout the school system and beyond. We need a long-term national strategy to bring a renewed and explicit focus to closing the attainment gap. If they are to make any headway in closing the gap, the next government needs to do the following: 1 Reform the National Funding Formula to rebalance funding back towards those schools that serve the most disadvantaged communities. 2 Reverse the real-terms erosion of Pupil Premium funding, restoring funding to previous levels. 3 Extend the Pupil Premium to post-16 institutions. The attainment gap doesn’t end at 16, and neither should dedicated funding. 4 Renew the National Tutoring Programme with ringfenced funding for the long term, and target it at disadvantaged pupils. 5 Ensure no child is hungry in school by expanding free school meal eligibility to all children on Universal Credit and increasing breakfast club provision. 6 Tackle the teacher recruitment and retention crisis and incentivise the best teachers to work in the most disadvantaged schools by making changes across the system, including enhancing financial incentives and increasing flexibility. 7 Tackle pupil absence through evidence-based interventions, with a particular focus on getting the most disadvantaged pupils back into the classroom and keeping them there. 8 Reduce social segregation in schools by making admissions policies fairer, including requiring schools to prioritise Pupil Premium applicants in their oversubscription criteria. 9 Build evidence on, and scale up, the interventions that work. For example, through models like the Education Endowment Foundation accelerator fund. 10 Plan to reduce, and ultimately end, child poverty in the UK; the education system alone cannot eradicate the attainment gap. Not taking any action risks a major economic cost further down the line. Attainment, starting in primary schools and increasingly through the school system, is the biggest driver of gaps in university progression and has knock-on implications for young people’s careers, their chances of social mobility and potential earnings. In 2023, just over a quarter (25.2 per cent) of disadvantaged pupils achieved a strong pass in English and maths GCSEs. This compares to more than half of non-disadvantaged pupils (52.4 per cent). Where attaining below someone’s potential at KS4 can make the difference between being able to go on to A levels post-16 or not, the route to higher education is being blocked off. For others, it could mean the difference between gaining a place on a university course or apprenticeship, and missing out. It also means that employers, businesses and the economy more generally are missing out on wasted talent, which could have made a vital contribution to economic growth. The next government has a major opportunity not just to open up opportunities for young people, but also to benefit the UK economy in the long term by giving every child the chance to fulfil their potential. From, Kevin w .teachwire.net | 17 A letter to... The growing attainment gap needs closing, and fast, says Kevin Latham Each issueweaskacontributor to penanote theywould love to send The education secretary Kevin Latham is Research and Policy Manager at the Sutton Trust. He previously taught social sciences in a state comprehensive and worked as a university lecturer. VO I C E S “Not taking any action risks a major economic cost further down the line”