Education

Inquiry Calls for Society‑Wide Action to Support White Working‑Class Pupils

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

An independent inquiry has urged society to act to improve the educational outcomes of white working‑class children. The inquiry’s first report, released this summer, concluded that reforms of a once‑in‑a‑generation scale were required to address a system that it said was not serving the interests of these children. The next phase will focus on early years and teenagers aged 14 to 19, aiming to strengthen the start at primary school and to improve older students’ pathways into successful careers.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell said she was "backing" the inquiry to "get to the heart of the barriers holding children back". Inquiry co‑chair and former education secretary Baroness Morris said the next phase would consider "what needs to be done" and that the issue "is not just the responsibility of schools but calls for action from across society".

The Independent Inquiry into White Working Class Educational Outcomes was commissioned by the multi‑academy trust Star Academies and is supported by the Department for Education. It interviewed thousands of young people and their parents and hundreds of teachers, and analysed education data for the 1.25 million white British pupils in England who receive free school meals. The inquiry found a growing belief among white working‑class families that the current education system does not guarantee future success. It also acknowledged that the true scale of disadvantage is likely to be substantially larger, as the data did not include low‑income families who did not receive free school meals. Since then, all families receiving Universal Credit have become eligible for free school meals.

Under the new phase, the inquiry will develop practical recommendations for government, schools, colleges and other organisations working with white working‑class communities. It will include a research programme examining the routes taken by teenagers aged 14 to 19 and how schools can work with communities to provide clearer pathways into further study and employment. The phase will also look at how schools can ensure the transition from primary to secondary school builds strong foundations.

"Right now, too many white working‑class children are falling behind at every stage of their education," Powell said. "That is why I am backing this independent inquiry to get to the heart of the barriers holding children back – from their first steps into school, through to the opportunities and choices they have as teenagers into further study, training or work."

The inquiry follows Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s announcement of plans to open new technical routes from age 14 in England over the summer. Burnham said he was "on a mission" to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training – known as "Neet". Nearly a million young people are currently classed as Neet. Former minister Alan Milburn’s interim report found that children who are not school‑ready at ages four or five are nearly three times as likely to be Neet by ages 16 to 17. A final report by Milburn is expected to set out his recommendations for tackling the issue in the coming weeks.