Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s report
White British students make up more than three-quarters of low achievers
in English schools and do worse than children from other ethnic groups
with similar economic backgrounds, research revealed today.
Boys outnumber girls as low achievers at school by three to two, the
study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found.
Nearly half of those who leave education with no or limited
qualifications are white British males, and white students are more
likely than other ethnic groups to do persistently badly at school, the
study said.
If they start failing to achieve in primary school they are more likely
than others to still be in the lowest categories of achievement at the
end of secondary school.
The research said Chinese and Indian pupils are the most successful at
avoiding low achievement.
Afro-Caribbean students are the least successful, although their results
have been improving faster than the national average, and they do no
worse than white British pupils from similar economic backgrounds.
The research, which aimed to identify the reasons why tens of thousands
of students in England leave school each year with no or few
qualifications at 16, said poor reading and writing scores at primary
school were strongly associated with doing badly later on.
But not speaking English at home was only a short-term handicap, with
African and Asian students commonly recovering from the problems it
poses by secondary school.
Most low achievers come from disadvantaged backgrounds, commonly in
urban areas, the Tackling Low Educational Achievement report found.
They are more likely to attend worse-performing secondary schools which
can hamper their progress - particularly in the case of ethnic minority
students and those with special needs.
Around 5% of state school children achieve no passes at all in GCSEs or
GNVQs, while around 25% obtain nothing better than a D grade.
They are at risk from unemployment of unemployment, or even falling into
low-level crime.
While many Government policies are having a positive effect, researchers
Robert Cassen and Geeta Kingdon said, others are not being properly
implemented, some are overdue for reconsideration and some are
contributing to low achievement.
Lead author Prof Cassen said: "Disadvantaged children are behind
educationally before they enter school and need more pre-school help.
"Improvements could be made to identify and support children who are
late in learning to read and write at primary school and to address
their problems before they become entrenched.
"It is expensive - but even more expensive not to do it.
"Disadvantaged students are also more likely to attend poorly performing
secondary schools.
"And they can miss out on the best teaching if they are regarded as
unable to help their school's league table position.
"There are practical measures that would significantly cut down the
number of low achievers."
The report suggests a series of measures which include: improving early
years provision to help the most disadvantaged; intensive reading help
for those behind at primary school; reforming the secondary school
system on league tables and selection which both contribute to low
achievement; reaching more fully children in care and with special
educational needs; and fund schools more adequately in relation to
disadvantage.