The study, which examined the GCSE results of 555,000 pupils in 2006, found that bright young people from poor schools got on average half a GCSE grade less than equally intelligent pupils from more affluent schools.
This is down to a number of factors, including the so-called "peer effect", which means pupils benefit from being educated alongside other able, affluent pupils.
Able pupils from deprived schools were also ten times more likely to take vocational qualifications than those in better-off schools.
Lee Elliot Major, research director at the Sutton Trust, said schools with the most deprived pupils need support to boost achievement.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
