The gap in academic achievement between pupils from lower-income households and their more affluent classmates has widened in England, according to a new report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI).
Despite some improvements in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, the EPI found that the disadvantage gap has begun to increase again and remains larger at every educational phase than it was prior to the pandemic. The disparity is described as particularly stark in early education.
For the purposes of its analysis, the EPI measured disadvantage by comparing the educational outcomes of children who had ever been eligible for free school meals with those who had not. The report also segmented data by gender, ethnicity, and the presence of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
By Key Stage 4, when students typically undertake their GCSE examinations, disadvantaged pupils are, on average, 19 months behind their peers from more affluent backgrounds. This gap in early years education has widened by 17% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
While gaps at some school stages have shown signs of closing post-pandemic, the EPI noted that they are now widening again in early years and at Key Stage 4. The report also highlighted that for pupils with SEND, attainment gaps have narrowed for older age groups, but have reached their highest recorded levels for children with education, health, and care plans.
The report also indicated regional disparities, with disadvantaged pupils in London outperforming those from similar backgrounds in all other regions. The gap between wealthier and less affluent pupils has seen its most significant growth in the South-East and South-West of England.
The Department for Education stated it is actively working to close the disadvantage gap by expanding opportunities for all children, including the provision of government-funded childcare and extending eligibility for free school meals. The government had previously set a target to halve the disadvantage gap by the time the current generation of schoolchildren completes secondary education. The EPI has urged the new prime minister to address this issue with a "laser-like focus."