Does poverty impact on school attainment?
It is suggested that children who are entitled to free school meals (FSM) achieve lower grades compared to children who are not. This theory is evident throughout reports published from the Department of Education (DfE) that suggest that children who receive FSM are almost 50 percent less likely to achieve five A*-C GCSE's and gain opportunities to higher education against children who do not receive FSM (DfE, 2012). A recent study showed that children from more disadvantaged backgrounds are unlikely to enter into further education than their peers and this is resulting in children's talent is being wasted (DfE, 2013). The Sutton Trust further explains this theory with a study showing children being entitled to FSM to be 20 percent less likely to achieve five good GSCE's and are approximately 15 percentage points lower in gaining entry to a university compared to children who are educated in an independent school (see figure 1).
Within the city of London, 19 percent of secondary school pupils are in receipt of free school
meals compared to 11 percent on average for children in the rest of England. A study of children's attainment was conducted within both inner and outer London and the results compared to the rest of England (see figure 2). The graph shows the percentage of pupils that did not obtain 5 GCSEs in 2006-07 and 2011-12 who were in receipt of free school meals and where within the city of London they were situated. A large number of children who are eligible to FSM's did not achieve the same GCSE results compared to those who did not in both years that are studied. Although there are improvements in children's attainment between 2007-12, the percentage of children who are eligible for FSM who are not obtaining 5 GCSE’s in London (as a whole) is lower against the percentage against the rest of England. A study conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows
that children who are brought up in a low-income background in London is less of a barrier for a child’s
academic attainment and will not hinder them to continue into higher education (MacInnes et al. 2013). Additionally, research has found that between 30-40 percent of children from both inner and outer London who were eligible
for free school meals entered higher education by the age of 19 and this
percentage is similar to the percentage of non FSM pupils entering higher education
(ibid). As children's attainment in London is improving and children from low income backgrounds can gain places in higher education, if we compare these statistics to Figure 1, the theory of children who are entitled to free school meal's do not obtain five A*-C GCSE's and gain a place in Further Education could be challenged. There are several factors that affect children from low income backgrounds being entitled to the same opportunities of higher classed children. Several studies have found that children who were eligible to FSM and achieve A-level grades are less likely to apply to the most selective universities whereas children achieving the same grades from an independent school are twice as likely to apply (Parliament UK, 2011; Sutton Trust, 2010a).
A recent study conducted shows that only roughly 17 percent of children entitled to Free School Meals manage to gain a place at university and only 1-2 percent gain entry to an elite university (The Sutton Trust, 2010a). As London is the host of several of Britain's most elite universities, can children who were entitled to FSM overcome their disadvantaged circumstances and gain entry to these universities regardless of these statistics? By looking at admission figures from several Russell group universities in London, the admission percentages of pupils entitled to FSM were measured between 1-5 percent compared to other universities and colleges in London which FSM pupil admission percentages were much higher at almost 20 percent (Reference withheld*). With figure 2 showing increased attainment rates for children eligible for FSM and research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation proving that a percentage of children from low income backgrounds in London can overcome their disadvantaged circumstances, the question must be asked, why are the admission percentage rates lower for these groups of children attending elite universities in London?
*Reference withheld in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
A recent study conducted shows that only roughly 17 percent of children entitled to Free School Meals manage to gain a place at university and only 1-2 percent gain entry to an elite university (The Sutton Trust, 2010a). As London is the host of several of Britain's most elite universities, can children who were entitled to FSM overcome their disadvantaged circumstances and gain entry to these universities regardless of these statistics? By looking at admission figures from several Russell group universities in London, the admission percentages of pupils entitled to FSM were measured between 1-5 percent compared to other universities and colleges in London which FSM pupil admission percentages were much higher at almost 20 percent (Reference withheld*). With figure 2 showing increased attainment rates for children eligible for FSM and research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation proving that a percentage of children from low income backgrounds in London can overcome their disadvantaged circumstances, the question must be asked, why are the admission percentage rates lower for these groups of children attending elite universities in London?
*Reference withheld in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.