Impetus' response to the announcement from the Department for Education: ‘Schools white paper to rewire education system and transform life chances for young people’

“Raising the attainment of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds is one of the best actions governments can take to secure a better future for young people, the economy and society. After many years of stagnation, we are delighted to see the Schools White Paper make the concrete commitments needed to secure better outcomes for this group, currently 30 percentage-points less likely to get the GCSE qualifications that are crucial for progression into employment.

We are especially pleased to see movement toward adjusting the funding system to prioritise schools serving the most disadvantaged communities and promoting deeper engagement between schools and families. This is a vital first step to renew the broken social contract that our attendance research identified as a key driver for the post-pandemic surge in school absence.

We hope that this ambition can be built on one day to fully close the attainment gap, and look forward to supporting Government through the consultation process to ensure that any changes deliver meaningful outcomes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.”