Government Sets Ambitious Target to Reduce Educational Disparities
In a significant move to address educational inequality, the government is set to announce plans aimed at halving the attainment gap between England's poorest pupils and their more affluent peers. The schools white paper, due for release on Monday, outlines proposals to reform the criteria for allocating disadvantage funding, which currently costs approximately £8 billion annually.
Overhauling Funding Criteria
Currently, disadvantage funding is distributed based on the number of pupils receiving free school meals, typically available to children from families with an annual income below £7,400. The new Labour-led initiative seeks to broaden this approach by revising the funding formula to place greater emphasis on family income. This shift is expected to move away from the annual pupil premium payments tied to free school meal eligibility, potentially redirecting resources to better target need.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasized the urgency of these reforms, stating, "These reforms are a golden opportunity to cut the link between background and success – one that we must seize." She highlighted that while schools have made progress in recent decades, many children continue to be let down by a system that fails to address their unique needs, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds or with additional requirements.
Concerns Over Funding and Implementation
Despite the ambitious goals, there is no guarantee that the overall funding pot will increase to accommodate the proposed changes. Government sources indicate that any adjustments will be determined at the next spending review, raising questions about the effectiveness of the reforms without additional financial backing. Critics, including some MPs and campaigners, have voiced concerns that redistributing existing funds could create winners and losers, rather than addressing systemic issues.
Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrat education spokesperson, warned, "Basing funding on income alone risks hard-wiring regional inequalities into the system." She called for restoring the pupil premium to its 2015 real-terms value and ensuring investments keep pace with inflation to prevent further disadvantage.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, supported the idea of more targeted funding but stressed the need for additional investment. "It is vital that this is done through additional investment into the education system, rather than distributing the same pot of money in a different way," he noted.
Additional Initiatives and Challenges
The white paper also includes controversial proposals, such as allowing local authorities to administer groups of schools through multiacademy trusts and setting new minimum expectations for parental engagement. Furthermore, it introduces two new programmes – Mission North East and Mission Coastal – modeled after the successful London Challenge, which focused on collaborative efforts to improve educational standards in deprived areas. The exact locations for these initiatives are yet to be finalized.
In addition, the government plans a radical overhaul of the special educational needs (Send) system, aiming to provide every child with Send an individual support plan. However, some Labour MPs express nervousness about potential changes to parental appeal rights regarding support levels.
The publication of the white paper, originally scheduled for last autumn, was delayed to allow further consideration of the Send proposals. Ministers are also expected to announce new attendance targets to recover 20 million lost school days annually and propose pay rises of up to £15,000 for newly appointed headteachers in high-need areas to attract talent.
With the attainment gap remaining stark – only 44% of children on free school meals achieve a pass in GCSE maths and English compared to 70% of their peers – these reforms represent a critical step toward creating a more equitable education system. As Phillipson concluded, "Our schools white paper presents the blueprint for opportunity for the next generation, with an education system that truly serves every child."
