Responding to the North South divide highlighted in Ofsted’s Annual Report today, Sir Peter Lampl, Chairman of the Sutton Trust and the Education Endowment Foundation, said:
“Sir Michael Wilshaw is absolutely right to highlight England’s North South divide. Today’s report confirms our own research which has consistently shown that your chances of getting good GCSEs, attending a good university and accessing a professional job aren’t just a matter of ability, but are linked to where you live.
“The fact that students in the North and the Midlands, particularly those from low-income homes, are much less likely to attend an outstanding or good school than those in London and the South East, tells us that we urgently need a national drive to reduce educational inequalities and improve social mobility. All young people, regardless of where they live or their family background, should have access to great teaching as well as the chance to go to the best schools.”
Sir Kevan Collins, Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, said today:
“As today’s report shows, inconsistency between similar schools in different parts of the country is one of the biggest challenges we face in our drive to improve standards. Not only are educational outcomes linked to family income, but they’re also linked to where you live too.
“If young people are all to have the same chance of doing well regardless of where they live, schools need to make better use of what we know about what works and view evidence as a crucial tool to help them decide on the ‘best bets’ for spending limited resources.
“We need to see greater collaboration between schools too and a concerted effort to reach those in the ‘cold spots’ that today’s report identifies. At the Education Endowment Foundation, we have launched two campaigns – in Yorkshire and in the North East – to improve attainment for disadvantaged pupils. We’ll spend £15m over the next 5 years to build the evidence and apply what we know to improve outcomes for young people living in these areas.”
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