Social Gap Increasing In School

Tuesday 23 October 07

Chief Inspector Christine Gilbert warns that poorer children still has "odds stacked against them" - achieving lower results than wealthier children. Deprived areas are also much more likely to account for a persistent number of struggling schools.

The annual report from Ofsted inspectors found that almost half of secondary schools were only "satisfactory" (39%) or "inadequate" (10%). Although an improvement from last year, the number of inadequate secondary schools is of "significant concern", says the chief inspector to BBC.

"Young people living in the most deprived areas do worst in exams and are less likely to go to university," says Ms Gilbert. "Schools in deprived areas are more likely to be inadequate than those serving more affluent areas." The report also shows that only 33% of pupils who are eligible for free school meals achieved five or more good GCSEs, compared to 61% of other pupils.

Schools Minister Andrew Adonis said: "We know that we must do more to help the poorest, the most disadvantaged and the vulnerable to prosper and succeed. These are harder nuts to crack."

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