Official figures show that 47 per cent of disadvantaged pupils in mainstream schools achieved a grade 4 (equivalent to a grade C) or above in English and maths compared with 72.6 per cent of non-disadvantaged students.
But research group FFT Education Datalab says the gap is far higher as official figures are not including pupils who are removed from school rolls before the end of year 11.
This includes students who are off-rolled - a practice in which schools skew their attainment figures by removing challenging pupils from the school roll without permanently excluding them. Those who are legitimately moved into alternative provision, university technical colleges or leave state education entirely are also not included in the figures.
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
