First Report - The forgotten: how White working-class pupils have been let down, and how to change it
Select Committee
Education Committee
HC 85
22 June 2021
Government response
The forgotten: how White working-class pupils have been let down, and how to change it - Government response to the Committee’s First Report · published 4 Nov 2021
Recommendations & Conclusions
7 results
10
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
Para 58
The Department for Education must make itself central to levelling-up, and ensure that a focus...
Recommendation
The Department for Education must make itself central to levelling-up, and ensure that a focus on improving outcomes for children of all ages is a key part of any Government initiative to equalise opportunity and productivity across the country. Publishing …
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Government Response Summary
The government notes that much attainment data is already broken down by region and local authority, and commits to investigating where further regional and localised breakdowns can feasibly be added to increase data granularity.
Department for Education
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15
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Having access to high quality early years provision helps disadvantaged children, including White working-class children.
Conclusion
Having access to high quality early years provision helps disadvantaged children, including White working-class children. Maintained nursery schools deliver consistently high outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, but they face financial difficulties. (Paragraph 79) The forgotten: how White working-class pupils have been …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the vital role of maintained nursery schools and has protected their supplementary funding until at least July 2022. It is also reviewing policy options for long-term funding, including permanent integration into the Early Years National Funding Formula.
Department for Education
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19
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
Para 89
The Government must explain how the National Centre for Family Hubs will support the development...
Recommendation
The Government must explain how the National Centre for Family Hubs will support the development of Family Hubs and should set out bold targets for every town to have a Family Hub using existing community assets where appropriate.
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, detailing over £500 million for the Start for Life offer and funding 75 areas to expand Family Hubs, explaining how the National Centre will support development, but does not explicitly set bold targets for every town to have a Family Hub.
Department for Education
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32
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
The Department must do more to target funding to address attainment gaps, such as that...
Recommendation
The Department must do more to target funding to address attainment gaps, such as that which persistently affects disadvantaged White pupils. This should begin with reform to the pupil premium, which should be weighted to account for persistent disadvantage, including …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the need to address attainment gaps, citing increased school funding and pupil premium funding. It has amended Pupil Premium conditions to require evidence-based spending and public statements but does not commit to weighting the premium for persistent disadvantage or specific reforms to the National Tutoring Programme based on uptake.
Department for Education
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37
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
Para 147
For too long many schools have failed to fully deliver their obligations under the Baker...
Recommendation
For too long many schools have failed to fully deliver their obligations under the Baker Clause. This must be more uniformly enforced to prevent many disadvantaged pupils, including disadvantaged White pupils, missing the opportunity to access a variety of careers. …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the need for an effective careers system and has appointed an independent adviser to develop recommendations for improved alignment by summer 2022. However, it states that failure to comply with the Baker Clause will not automatically mean a school is judged to require improvement by Ofsted.
Department for Education
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38
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
Para 148
The Government must conduct a significant review of Government-funded careers agencies to identify if they...
Recommendation
The Government must conduct a significant review of Government-funded careers agencies to identify if they are focused on skills, building employer-school partnerships and helping those from White working class in schools in disadvantaged areas. The Government should bring forward measures …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the need for an effective careers system and has appointed an independent adviser to develop recommendations for improved alignment by summer 2022. However, it explicitly rejects the committee's proposal to automatically limit a school's Ofsted grade for non-compliance with the Baker Clause.
Department for Education
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40
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
Para 153
The OfS should review how it holds providers to account for ensuring all low- participation...
Recommendation
The OfS should review how it holds providers to account for ensuring all low- participation groups are equally supported into higher education. This should not just be about inclusion, but ensuring disadvantaged White pupils are also completing their courses and …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with focusing on schools and strengthening guidance for the OfS on increasing access for White working-class students, noting existing efforts and a specific focus requested in 2021. However, it supports the OfS's individualised target approach rather than implementing a universal target as recommended, thus accepting in part.
Department for Education
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