Government Unveils Schools Reform Plan to Tackle Inequality

The Government has published its Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, setting out wide-ranging reforms aimed at narrowing the attainment gap, reforming school funding and strengthening accountability across England’s education system.

At the heart of the proposals is a commitment to break the link between poverty and educational outcomes — a gap that has remained stubbornly wide for more than a decade.

New “Stepped Model” for Deprivation Funding

A key proposal is to replace the current free school meal (FSM) eligibility measure with a more detailed “stepped model” of deprivation funding. Rather than relying on a binary indicator of whether a child qualifies for FSM, the new system would consider:

• How low household income is
• How long a child has been living in poverty
• Where a child lives

The Government says this would better target funding towards the most disadvantaged pupils and could result in greater investment for schools supporting children experiencing persistent poverty.

Importantly, the model would remove the need for families to actively register for free school meals in order for schools to receive deprivation funding, reducing stigma and administrative burden.

The reform comes in response to ongoing concerns about inequality in outcomes. Only 44% of disadvantaged pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and Maths in 2023/24, compared with more than 70% of their peers — a gap that has remained largely unchanged since 2014.

Attendance and Accountability

The White Paper also sets a national attendance ambition: recovering 20 million additional school days per year by 2028/29 compared to 2023/24.

To improve transparency for parents, the Government plans to introduce “School Profiles” — a one-stop information service for every school, showcasing data on attendance, attainment and enrichment opportunities.

Ministers are also exploring a new progress measure that better reflects the achievements of pupils who start secondary school significantly behind their peers.

Place-Based Reform

Two new area-based initiatives — Mission North East and Mission Coastal — will bring together schools, parents and communities in areas facing entrenched disadvantage to co-design strategies for sustained improvement.

The Government says these programmes will act as pilots for innovation, creating models that could later be scaled nationally.

Academisation and System Reform

The White Paper signals an expectation that all schools will become part of an academy trust.

The Confederation of School Trusts welcomed the move, arguing that trusts have driven innovation, workforce flexibility and school improvement across the system.

However, the proposals have drawn criticism from unions. The NASUWT described the direction of travel towards further academisation as a “betrayal” of local authority schools and raised concerns about the lack of consultation.

Government Response

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the reforms as “a golden opportunity to cut the link between background and success.”

She said the White Paper presents “the blueprint for opportunity for the next generation, with an education system that truly serves every child, whatever their needs and wherever in the country they grow up.”

What This Means for Children and Families

For children and young people’s services, the reforms signal:

• A more targeted approach to deprivation funding
• Increased focus on attendance and wellbeing
• Greater transparency for families
• Structural changes to school governance

While the ambition to reduce inequality is widely supported, debate continues around the practical impact of academisation and how reforms will be implemented in partnership with schools, local authorities and the wider children’s workforce.

As the proposals move into consultation and implementation phases, their success will depend on whether they can deliver sustained improvements for the children who need it most.