New report outlines enduring disparities faced by disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils in England

A new report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has revealed the enduring, and in some cases worsening, disadvantage gap faced by pupils in England.

The report suggests little progress has been made over the past 5 years in closing the gap between vulnerable groups of pupils and their peers with the most concerning area being  in the early years, where a widening of the gap since 2019 (and, indeed earlier), particularly for economically disadvantaged young children and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has been evidenced.

Previous EPI research has shown that 40 per cent of the gap at age 16 has already emerged by age 5 and so the Institute suggests this is a crucial opportunity to tackle later life inequalities. Without urgent action, it claims, we will have a generation of young people at risk of leaving education without the skills and qualifications they need to thrive.

Natalie Perera, Chief Executive of the EPI said “This report is clear that we face a set of complex challenges where poverty, ethnicity, place and gender all interact to compromise the life chances of some of the country’s most vulnerable children. 

We set out clear, evidence-based recommendations to policymakers: from ensuring adequate and well-targeted funding for disadvantaged pupils in every phase, to addressing the structural drivers of poverty and absence, and prioritising SEND reforms. These are not marginal adjustments but essential steps if the government is to deliver on its Opportunity Mission – ensuring that no child’s outcomes are determined by their circumstances of birth.

We hope the findings and recommendations in this report will galvanise urgent action from leaders across government, education, and wider society. Closing these gaps is not simply an educational priority; it is a moral and economic necessity.”

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