We will halve disadvantage gap in schools, ministers say in landmark education reforms
Ministers will set a target to halve the gap in disadvantage by the time children born under this government finish secondary school, as part of a plan to improve the education system in England.
To tackle the attainment gap between pupils from poorer backgrounds and their wealthier peers, the government will reform the way schools receive targeted disadvantaged funding.
The Schools White Paper, which will be published in full on Monday, will also identify two new programs to address locally the performance of disadvantaged pupils in the North East and coastal regions.
It comes after details of special educational needs and disability (Referral) reforms, which also form part of the white paper, were leaked on Thursday.
It has been reported that from 2029, EHCPs (education, health and care plan) will be re-evaluated when children reach the end of primary school; The proposal sparked concerns from disability charity Sense, which warned that reassessments could increase instability for children and young people.
The EHCP is a legally binding document in the UK for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities who need more support than is normally offered at school.
The reforms are expected to introduce a legally based scheme called Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for all Removed children.
Speaking of plans to halve the attainment gap, Education Minister Bridget Phillipson said: “These reforms are a golden opportunity we must seize to cut the link between background and attainment.
“Our schools have made great strides in recent years. But for too long, too many children in our country have been let down by a one-size-fits-all system, denied opportunities because they are poor or have additional needs.
“The Our Schools White Paper provides a blueprint for opportunity for the next generation, with an education system that truly serves every child, whatever their needs and wherever they grow up in the country.”
The disadvantage gap index for year 11s in the latest GCSE results was 3.92, according to figures from the Department for Education (DfE).
It had previously narrowed from 4.07 in 2011 to 3.66 in 2019/20, with minor fluctuations in between. It then expanded again after the pandemic and reached the highest level of the last decade with 3.94 in 2022/23.
The government will also set a new target on attendance to make up 20 million school days a year by the end of 2028/29, compared to 2023/24.
Rather than targeting disadvantaged funding based on whether a child is eligible for free school meals (FSM), the distribution of funding to schools after a consultation could take into account how low the family income is, how long this has been the case and where the child lives.
It would also remove the requirement for families to opt for free school meals to qualify for deprivation funding, in a bid to cut the running of schools.
Two new programs, called Mission North East and Mission Coastal, will aim to tackle the underperformance of disadvantaged students in the areas, including white working-class students.
This program will be based on the London Challenge model, a program launched in 2003 under the Labor government to improve schools in London.
The White Paper will also explain how incentives of up to £15,000 will be provided for newly appointed headteachers to work in parts of the country that need heads.
It will also include a commitment to develop minimum expectations for schools on how they will communicate with parents and manage the transition of students from primary to secondary school.
The Schools White Paper was originally planned to be published in autumn 2025 but was delayed to allow more time to test the Send reforms.
