School years increase education attainment gap for poorest children

A new report published today by Child Poverty Action Group Chicken and Egg: Child Poverty and Educational Inequality shows that children in poverty fall further behind their peers at every stage of schooling. The report also shows that children who start behind, but are not affected by poverty, have better chances of rising out of low performance.

Recent research from the University of London showed that, at 3 years old, children from disadvantaged families are already a full year behind their middle-class contemporaries in social and educational development. Today’s report finds that, rather than addressing this attainment gap, schooling leaves the poorest children even further behind at every stage.

Released as part of the Campaign to End Child Poverty’s focus on education as one of four key themes for the new Prime Minister’s first 100 days, the report provides a clear message for education ministers: as long as child poverty exists, so will the education attainment gap.

Child Poverty Action Group’s Chief Executive, Kate Green, said:

“It is appalling that at every stage in school the poorest children fall further and further behind. Many schools do an excellent job to stop the situation being any worse, but with nearly 1 in 3 children below the poverty line we are leaving hard working teachers with an impossible job.

“The evidence is clear that the attainment gap in education will exist as long as child poverty does. Addressing low incomes of the poorest families is therefore an essential part of any successful strategy to improve education outcomes.

“Children whose families cannot afford decent childcare, a quiet place to study at home with books and a computer, school outings and after school activities, and who may spend time caring for a disabled parent or younger siblings, will not have all their problems solved at school. Unless such inequalities are addressed too, the poorest pupils will continue to come through the school gates with barriers to learning.

“If the new Department for Children, Schools and Families is to achieve the Government’s important commitment to end child poverty by 2020, targeted investment is vital. Poor families need access to high quality early years services and childcare so children are protected from poverty from the start. Schools need additional funding for the most deprived pupils. The extra £4 billion investment in benefits and tax credits must be made that the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggests is needed to meet the interim target of halving child poverty by 2010.”

Notes to Editors

• Download CPAG’s report Chicken and Egg: Child Poverty and Educational Inequality (263 KB PDF file)
• CPAG is a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty. The campaign has released a briefing this week on child poverty and education containing 4 key recommendations. The briefing is on the campaign’s website: www.endchildpoverty.org.uk
• In 2007 and 2008 CPAG is undertaking policy and research work focussed on the relations between education, inequality and poverty. This will result in a major report publication and campaign on educational inequalities. It will present conclusions and recommendations addressing not only what schools can do to ensure better educational outcomes for poor children, but the action government must take to address social and economic inequalities that prevent children realising their potential in their passage through the education system.

For further information please contact:
Tim Nichols
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
press@cpag.org.uk