Our latest research reveals how socio-economic disadvantage, gender, ethnicity and place all interweave to impact on opportunities for young people, from school through to the labour market. What does this research mean for school leaders?
Disadvantage is not homogeneous
Sutton Trust research last year revealed stark regional differences in education outcomes between free school meal (FSM) eligible pupils and their peers. However, as this new report shows, the extent to which pupils are impacted by socio-economic disadvantage varies further by ethnicity, gender and place.
White working-class students have the biggest disadvantage gap compared to any other ethnic group. Disadvantaged white British pupils performing worst of any FSM-eligible ethnic group at GCSE, and are 18 points behind their wealthier peers.
Ethnic minority pupils appear to be more resistant to the impact of disadvantage on attainment. Black African pupils for example have the smallest disadvantage gap at just 5 points, with both those eligible and not eligible for FSM scoring high attainment on average.
Some FSM groups do much better in school – in particular those who are more likely to be first or second generation immigrants. Indian and Bangladeshi FSM-eligible pupils for instance have an average attainment that is higher than the national attainment for all pupils. This high performance is a success story for integration and diversity in the UK.
In contrast, white British FSM and Black Caribbean FSM pupils have the lowest average attainment, across the country. Unlike those families who have more recently immigrated to the UK, the low performance of these groups may be a story of alienation from the school system which goes back for generations.
Good grades do not guarantee good earnings
We know that different students need different support. For some students, good exam results do not automatically translate to higher paid jobs in the future. School leaders know that school isn’t just about the grades but setting up young people for the best opportunities in life.
Our research found that while some groups have lower GCSE results on average, they perform relatively well in the labour market. A White British FSM boy on average attains 40% below the national average but earns only 15% below average at age 28. Meanwhile, women and ethnic minority groups often have much lower earnings relative to their attainment. For example, a Bangladeshi FSM girl might attain 15% above the average at school but earns 20% below the average at age 28.
There is a combination of factors behind this, including the likelihood of being in a full-time job, the type of jobs people go into, further and higher education choices, and discrimination in the labour market.
These findings also serve as a timely reminder of the importance of effective careers guidance, a topic which we have explored in previous research.
The importance of place
Education and employment outcomes also vary across regions and local contexts. Attainment and opportunity are not spread evenly across the country.
This is why the government’s place-based missions are welcome. However, it’s vital to understand local contextual challenges. Mission North East is focused on disadvantaged students in the region with the lowest overall attainment in England. However, looking only at white British FSM students, one of the key targets of the mission, our data reveals that on average white FSM pupils are doing better in the North East than in London.
Our report delves even deeper into outcomes for white working-class young people at the constituency level. Again, we find a more nuanced picture. In London, we find that some of the highest and lowest opportunity constituencies in the country sit side by side.
Outside of London, other cities also perform poorly including Leicester, Nottingham, Newcastle, Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield.
At the local level, one way we can help level the playing field is by considering whether all schools are serving their fair share of disadvantaged pupils. Our Fair School Admissions Hub can help ensure schools are representing the make up of their local communities.
Understanding your local community
This research illustrates the complexity that we are faced with when looking to improve outcomes, and future opportunities. It is clear that FSM is not a blanket term that covers all experience. Ultimately, every young person’s context is unique.
The strength that teachers bring is the genuine connections they make with young people, understanding them as individuals and how best to support their agency over their futures. This report can help to further that understanding.
Our research, which is also available as an interactive data dashboard, can also be used by school leaders and staff to better understand the local communities in which they are working. This will help equip them to focus on the challenges and barriers faced by local families.
The evidence can be used as a platform to better understand where pupils are at, and the local context. It should be combined with using the student voice to inform best practice and intervention. By building this deeper understanding and taking a more nuanced approach to tackling disadvantage gaps, we are better positioned to support and nurture all young people.
Esme Lillywhite is a research and policy officer at the Sutton Trust. She has a PhD in Education from the University of Strathclyde.
