Wealth gap between poor and wealthy pupils widening for first time in a decade

The gap between pupils from poor and better-off families stopped shrinking for the first time in 10 years and now appears to be widening, a report found.

Disadvantaged pupils were 18.1 months of learning behind after taking their GCSEs in 2019 – the same gap as five years ago, according to the Education Policy Institute.

Poorer primary pupils – those eligible for free school meals over six years – were 9.3 months behind.

But a “worrying” disadvantage gap is starting to increase for the first time since 2007, the report based on Government data said. Among Reception pupils, the gap has stagnated at 4.6 months since 2013.

Poorer children in the north, the West Midlands and parts of the South were most likely to be behind.

Poorer primary pupils – those eligible for free school meals over six years – were 9.3 months behind (PA)

Those in Blackpool are 26.3 months behind more well off peers by the time they take their GCSEs, pupils in Knowsley, Merseyside, were 24.7 months behind while in Plymouth the gap was 24.5 months.

But GCSE disadvantage gaps in London were much lower. In Ealing kids were behind by 4.6 months and in Westminster it was two weeks.

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The EPI’s David Laws said: “It is deeply concerning our country entered the pandemic with such a lack of progress in this key area.”

A Department for Education spokesman said a £1billion Covid catch-up package would ensure the poorest children do not lose out.