Can the government really close the school poverty gap?

On 23 February,  the government published a new plan for schools called Every Child Achieving and Thriving.

It says it wants to cut the gap in results between poorer children and better-off children by half.

The plan was released by the department for education. It focuses on one big problem, that children from low-income families are still much less likely to leave school with good GCSE results.

Ministers say this gap is just as wide as it was in 2014 and that’s what they want to change.

The scale of the gap

Right now:

• 44% of children on free school meals get a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and maths
• over 70% of children not on free school meals reach that level

That’s a big difference.

Passing English and maths GCSEs often decides what happens next. It can affect college places, apprenticeships and many jobs.

If you’re on a low income, your child is less likely to hit that mark. The government says that’s not fair and promises to halve that gap.

Changing how schools get extra money

Schools get extra funding to support disadvantaged pupils. At the moment, this is mostly based on whether a child gets free school meals.

The new plan says this might change. In future, funding could also look at:

• how low a family’s income is
• how long the family has been on a low income
• whether the child lives in a deprived area

The aim is to send more help to families facing long-term hardship, not just short-term problems.

For low-income families, this could mean schools getting support that better reflects real life.

Support for children with SEND

The plan also talks about children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

It includes:

• new individual support plans (ISPs)
• reviews of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) at the end of primary school
• changes to make the system more stable and affordable

The government says this should mean earlier help and clearer support, instead of long battles to get what a child needs.

Getting children back into school

Since the pandemic, school attendance has been a big problem, especially for disadvantaged pupils.

The government wants to bring back 20m school days a year by 2028/29.

Children can’t learn if they’re not in school. The plan says schools should work more closely with families to improve attendance, not just punish them.

Extra pay to attract headteachers

Schools in poorer areas often struggle to keep leaders.

The government will offer up to £15,000 extra to new headteachers who take jobs in tough areas. The aim is to bring strong leadership to the schools that need it most.

Changes to how schools are run

Over time, the government wants all state schools to join multi-academy trusts, groups of schools run together.

New ‘trust standards’ will focus on:

• high standards
• inclusion
• value for money
• working with local communities

The government believes this will help schools improve together.

The education secretary Bridget Phillipson says this is a chance to break the link between poverty and success.