GCSE Results Expected To Confirm Widening Of North-south Attainment Gap
The coming GCSE results for England and Wales would most likely show a widening gap between northern and southern regions, further proving the growing regional disparities in education. School leaders, charities, and the Northern Powerhouse Partnership have submitted a joint letter to the Conservative leadership candidates, urging them to commit to mitigating the educational gaps.
The report predicted that 24.4% of GCSE students in the North East would achieve GSCE grade seven or above, while 37.8% in London would, revealing stark regional disparities. The letter opined that the government’s 2030 exam standards levelling-up target would be missed unless problems such as health and housing were addressed simultaneously. It pointed out that regional attainment disparities were increasing and that the pandemic had worsened the existing regional disadvantages. The national tutoring programme, aimed at addressing lost learning during the pandemic, was a failure, leading to more significant disparities.
Labour accused the government of letting down deprived areas, claiming that only 40% of students in Knowsley passed their GCSEs, and that more than 70% of students in wealthy areas such as Kingston upon Thames and Buckinghamshire passed theirs.
The Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Henri Murison, blamed the government’s levelling-up rhetoric for increasing regional differences under their watch. He accused the Department for Education (DfE) of deliberately levelling down and insisted that someone should be held accountable for the failure. He posits that the most disadvantaged kids in society in the north have been let down by the government’s policies.
The DfE pointed out that they have implemented several measures to reduce educational disparities across England, which includes targeted support for pupils and weaker areas in the country. They also committed £5bn to help young people recover from the pandemic and £1.5bn on tutoring programs.
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