Author Archives: Brett Wigdortz

The Independent View: Educational disadvantage is one of the most unjust and pervasive problems

The link between family income and educational attainment is greater in the UK than in almost any other developed country. We must all be concerned with a situation where 96% of young people educated in independent schools progress to university, but only 16% of pupils eligible for free school meals make the same progression. This statistic should be hugely troubling to anyone who believes in a society of equal opportunities.

The evidence shows that even when children start school at age five on a reasonably even footing, those from disadvantaged backgrounds begin to diverge dramatically from their peers in terms of attainment.

Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | Tagged , and | 7 Comments
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