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Poor children need better chance of good school place, says report Poor children need better chance of good school place, says report
(5 months later)
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds should be given higher priority in admissions decisions to stop primary schools becoming divided by class, according to education charity the Sutton Trust.Children from disadvantaged backgrounds should be given higher priority in admissions decisions to stop primary schools becoming divided by class, according to education charity the Sutton Trust.
More than 1,000 primary schools in England admit far fewer pupils from poor or disadvantaged families than live in the school’s local area, a report from the trust found, with faith schools especially likely to have lower proportions of children on free school meals than their surrounding neighbourhoods.More than 1,000 primary schools in England admit far fewer pupils from poor or disadvantaged families than live in the school’s local area, a report from the trust found, with faith schools especially likely to have lower proportions of children on free school meals than their surrounding neighbourhoods.
The research comes only days before 600,000 families in England will be told if their child has been offered a place at their preferred primary school when local authorities send out the results of their applications.The research comes only days before 600,000 families in England will be told if their child has been offered a place at their preferred primary school when local authorities send out the results of their applications.
The researchers also found a correlation between social selection, league table performance and Ofsted ratings, with the schools that had socially selective intakes more likely to do better in both measures.The researchers also found a correlation between social selection, league table performance and Ofsted ratings, with the schools that had socially selective intakes more likely to do better in both measures.
The Sutton Trust report’s authors, Rebecca Allen and Meenakshi Parameshwaran, found wide variations among local authorities in allocating places in reception classes, but that small, densely populated areas with a high proportion of schools selecting on the basis of religion were more exclusive than largely rural areas.The Sutton Trust report’s authors, Rebecca Allen and Meenakshi Parameshwaran, found wide variations among local authorities in allocating places in reception classes, but that small, densely populated areas with a high proportion of schools selecting on the basis of religion were more exclusive than largely rural areas.
The most exclusive areas include London boroughs such as Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Lewisham and Kensington and Chelsea, where parents have a wide choice of schools, and other cities where parents appear to be avoiding pockets of deprivation, such as Blackpool, Darlington, Torbay and Nottingham.The most exclusive areas include London boroughs such as Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Lewisham and Kensington and Chelsea, where parents have a wide choice of schools, and other cities where parents appear to be avoiding pockets of deprivation, such as Blackpool, Darlington, Torbay and Nottingham.
“All the areas with high levels of social selection have two conditions in place,” Allen, the director of the Education Datalab research unit, said.“All the areas with high levels of social selection have two conditions in place,” Allen, the director of the Education Datalab research unit, said.
“They are urban areas where the costs to families of exercising school choice are not too high, and they have relatively large numbers of schools with admissions criteria that admit children using religious rather than geographic criteria.”“They are urban areas where the costs to families of exercising school choice are not too high, and they have relatively large numbers of schools with admissions criteria that admit children using religious rather than geographic criteria.”
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In contrast, largely rural areas such as North Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire and West Sussex tended to have a similar social mix in local primary schools as in their neighbourhoods. The group also included some wealthy London suburbs such as Richmond-upon-Thames and Merton.In contrast, largely rural areas such as North Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire and West Sussex tended to have a similar social mix in local primary schools as in their neighbourhoods. The group also included some wealthy London suburbs such as Richmond-upon-Thames and Merton.
The report did not use housing location or value. Instead, it calculated a school’s percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals over five years and compared it with the proportion qualifying for free school meals in the school’s recruitment neighbourhood.The report did not use housing location or value. Instead, it calculated a school’s percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals over five years and compared it with the proportion qualifying for free school meals in the school’s recruitment neighbourhood.
More than half of primary schools showed only minor variations between local residents and school population, but in more than 1,000 schools there was a gap of 10 percentage points or more – meaning that disadvantaged families were going further afield to find a school place.More than half of primary schools showed only minor variations between local residents and school population, but in more than 1,000 schools there was a gap of 10 percentage points or more – meaning that disadvantaged families were going further afield to find a school place.
Statistics presented with the report showed that Catholic schools were among the most likely to be socially selective, along with a smaller number of Church of England and other faith schools.Statistics presented with the report showed that Catholic schools were among the most likely to be socially selective, along with a smaller number of Church of England and other faith schools.
The authors found the most socially selective primary schools used more complex oversubscription criteria in allotting places. “In our close examination of the 100 most socially selective primary schools we find as many as 18 oversubscription criteria used in one school and several instances where the school appears to contravene the admissions code,” they noted.The authors found the most socially selective primary schools used more complex oversubscription criteria in allotting places. “In our close examination of the 100 most socially selective primary schools we find as many as 18 oversubscription criteria used in one school and several instances where the school appears to contravene the admissions code,” they noted.
Sir Peter Lampl, the chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: “Disadvantaged young people should have the same chance of accessing the best state school in their neighbourhood as their better-off neighbour.Sir Peter Lampl, the chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: “Disadvantaged young people should have the same chance of accessing the best state school in their neighbourhood as their better-off neighbour.
“Today’s findings warn us that primary school admissions are far from a level-playing field. We need to make sure that oversubscribed schools do more to prioritise pupils from disadvantaged homes and the schools adjudicator does more to prevent parents from gaming the system.”“Today’s findings warn us that primary school admissions are far from a level-playing field. We need to make sure that oversubscribed schools do more to prioritise pupils from disadvantaged homes and the schools adjudicator does more to prevent parents from gaming the system.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Education said that admissions on the basis of wealth was “both morally wrong and against the law”.A spokesperson for the Department for Education said that admissions on the basis of wealth was “both morally wrong and against the law”.
“All schools must follow the school admissions code, which should make sure school places are allocated fairly, with an admissions policy that does not unfairly disadvantage children from a particular social or racial group, or those with a disability or special educational needs,” she said.“All schools must follow the school admissions code, which should make sure school places are allocated fairly, with an admissions policy that does not unfairly disadvantage children from a particular social or racial group, or those with a disability or special educational needs,” she said.