NCB Now: Comment - Poverty is decisive factor in educationalattainment

Three years ago, just over a quarter of Caribbean-heritage young mengained five A* to C GCSEs. This year, it was a third. The hard work ofschools, students and families is obvious to all. However, despite thisrise, last year around 80 per cent of all Caribbean young men leftschool without having gained five GCSEs that include English andmaths.

The disparity is not only apparent across ethnic background. Girlsconsistently gain more GCSEs than boys, while children with specialeducational needs are less likely to achieve good results. However, itis poverty that remains the decisive factor.

This is illustrated in the figures for young people taking up freeschool meals, which are means tested. Only 18 per cent of these pupilsgained five A* to C GCSEs, compared to 43 per cent of all pupils. Thismeans 65,000 young people are leaving school with fewer qualificationsthan their more affluent peers.

The reasons for this gulf are complex. There is a noticeable overlapbetween poverty and ethnicity - some minority ethnic groups havedisproportionately lower household incomes. Parental involvement, asignificant factor in achievement, varies across social groups. Incities, the high turnover of teaching staff and pupil mobility generatedby temporary housing all create barriers to fulfilling potential.

Education is a key route out of poverty, but current data proves thatthis is a difficult path to follow and in spite of race relationslegislation and dedicated ethnic minority achievement funding, profoundinequalities remain. There are no legal requirements or targetedresources to address the impact of poverty on attainment. It is anenormous challenge for schools to overcome. But if adult unemployment isone of the key causes of child poverty, schools are key agents forchange.