School outcomes worsen for poorer pupils since Covid
In 2024, just 46% of disadvantaged children met the expected standard at Key Stage 2, compared with 68% of their better-off peers
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Educational inequalities across England have worsened since the Covid pandemic, with disadvantaged pupils continuing to lag behind their peers, new analysis has found.
The report by the Institute for Government shows that while schools were performing better in 2024 than in 2010, the pandemic reversed years of progress in narrowing the attainment gap. Disadvantaged pupils – defined as those eligible for free school meals in the past six years – now face significantly poorer outcomes across key stages.
In 2024, just 46% of disadvantaged children met the expected standard at Key Stage 2, compared with 68% of their better-off peers. At GCSE level, 44% achieved a standard pass in English and maths, against 73% of non-disadvantaged pupils.
Pupils in London continued to outperform all other regions. The capital posted higher average attainment and progress at both primary and secondary levels, even as its schools served a comparatively disadvantaged cohort. In boroughs such as Newham, disadvantaged pupils matched or exceeded the national average for non-disadvantaged pupils.
However, large gaps remain between the best- and worst-performing areas. Local authorities such as Kingston upon Thames recorded GCSE attainment rates above 80%, while Blackpool and Knowsley fell below 45%. Progress scores revealed similarly stark contrasts.
The report highlights multiple factors behind the widening gap. Absence rates remain high, particularly in secondary schools, where disadvantaged pupils missed twice as many sessions as their peers. Ethnic background was also shown to influence outcomes, with disadvantaged White pupils – especially in rural and coastal areas – performing substantially worse than others.
Despite the new government’s commitment to breaking the link between background and success, the report warns that funding for disadvantaged pupils has fallen in real terms, while the National Tutoring Programme has had limited impact.
It concludes that schools with larger disadvantaged cohorts tend to achieve better outcomes for those pupils, suggesting the importance of targeted support and shared learning between schools.