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Schools white paper: Targets to improve education system ‘unlikely to be met’, sector leaders say

3 mins read Education
Measures laid out in the schools white paper are a series of “bold pledges” that are “unlikely in practice to be met”, according to organisations supporting disadvantaged children.
More needs to be done to support disadvantaged pupils, critics say. Picture: Adobe Stock
More needs to be done to support disadvantaged pupils, critics say. Picture: Adobe Stock

Critics have also branded the government’s failure to include proposals to close the disadvantage gap as “disappointing”.

The gap between the attainment of disadvantaged children and their wealthier peers is at the same level as it was a decade ago, research shows, and puts disadvantaged pupils on average 18 months behind more affluent peers.

The schools white paper highlights policies previously announced by government in the Levelling Up white paper and most recent comprehensive spending review.

It includes plans for 90 per cent of primary school children to achieve the expected level of attainment in reading, writing and maths and aims to boost average GCSE grades in English and Maths from 4.5 to 5 by 2030.

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