Teaching schools key to tackling attainment gap of poor white children

In its response to the education select committee’s Underachievement in Education by White Working Class Children report, the government said it is essential that schools and education professionals work together to narrow the attainment gap between poor white children and their peers.

The committee’s report, published in June, showed that white boys and girls from disadvantaged backgrounds are continuing to achieve lower outcomes than peers from other major ethnic groups.

The report also showed that underachievement is highest among white girls from disadvantaged backgrounds, with this group performing worse than white disadvantaged boys.

In response, the government said teaching schools, which see schools judged to be “outstanding” by Ofsted work with their weaker counterparts to improve outcomes and the quality of leadership, are key to raising the attainment of disadvantaged children.

The government also highlights the pupil premium as playing an important role in raising disadvantaged children’s attainment, and said it supports the “clear moral imperative to tackle head-on the unacceptable link between the circumstances of a child’s birth and their future education outcomes”.

It added that Ofsted will continue to monitor how schools use the additional funding and will identify examples of good practice.

In addition, the government said Ofsted is expected to comment on outcomes for disadvantaged white children in its Annual Report for 2013/14.

It said: “This will, where appropriate, make reference to good practice in raising attainment for this particular group of pupils.

“Improving outcomes for white British pupils from low income backgrounds will continue to be a priority for Ofsted in future years.”