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| Poor white boys struggle in GCSEs | Poor white boys struggle in GCSEs |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Poor white teenage boys in England have slipped further behind other youngsters in their GCSE exams, reveals a breakdown of this year's results. | Poor white teenage boys in England have slipped further behind other youngsters in their GCSE exams, reveals a breakdown of this year's results. |
| The official figures show that fewer than one in five who qualified for free meals achieved the benchmark of five good GCSEs including English and maths. | |
| Twice as many better-off white boys, not eligible for free meals, achieved this level of results. | Twice as many better-off white boys, not eligible for free meals, achieved this level of results. |
| But the attainment gaps between girls and boys and black and white narrowed. | But the attainment gaps between girls and boys and black and white narrowed. |
| The government's figures showing the detail of the GCSE results for 2009 show an overall picture of previously struggling groups beginning to catch up. | The government's figures showing the detail of the GCSE results for 2009 show an overall picture of previously struggling groups beginning to catch up. |
| Improvements | Improvements |
| Girls are still outperforming boys in achieving the GCSE benchmark - 54.5% to 47.3% - but the gap has narrowed this year by 0.9 of a percentage point. | Girls are still outperforming boys in achieving the GCSE benchmark - 54.5% to 47.3% - but the gap has narrowed this year by 0.9 of a percentage point. |
| Black pupils have also improved their GCSE results at a rate that is faster than average - rising to 41.5%. | Black pupils have also improved their GCSE results at a rate that is faster than average - rising to 41.5%. |
| There has also been a narrowing of the difference between poorer pupils and those who are better off - as defined by eligibility for free school meals. | There has also been a narrowing of the difference between poorer pupils and those who are better off - as defined by eligibility for free school meals. |
| But this still remains a substantial divide - with 54.4% of pupils not eligible reaching the level of five good GCSEs including maths and English, while only 26.9% of free school meal pupils achieved this. | But this still remains a substantial divide - with 54.4% of pupils not eligible reaching the level of five good GCSEs including maths and English, while only 26.9% of free school meal pupils achieved this. |
| The results show the intersection of different factors - gender, race, English as a second language and poverty. | The results show the intersection of different factors - gender, race, English as a second language and poverty. |
| But the group of white boys who qualify for free meals is unusual for falling further behind. | But the group of white boys who qualify for free meals is unusual for falling further behind. |
| The gap between these pupils and their classmates who do not receive free meals has widened from 29.8% to 31.6%. | The gap between these pupils and their classmates who do not receive free meals has widened from 29.8% to 31.6%. |
| These results echo findings last month from an analysis of primary school results which found that poor white boys had fallen below almost every other category of pupil. | These results echo findings last month from an analysis of primary school results which found that poor white boys had fallen below almost every other category of pupil. |
| It will once again raise concerns about the marginalisation of young men in such communities and the difficulty in raising aspirations. | It will once again raise concerns about the marginalisation of young men in such communities and the difficulty in raising aspirations. |
| Extra funding | Extra funding |
| Head teachers' leader John Dunford said that schools and pupils should be congratulated on the overall improvements. | Head teachers' leader John Dunford said that schools and pupils should be congratulated on the overall improvements. |
| "Not only are the results improving year-on-year, but all the critical gaps - gender, ethnicity, disadvantage - are narrowing in response to the action taken by government, schools and colleges in recent years," said the ASCL general secretary. | "Not only are the results improving year-on-year, but all the critical gaps - gender, ethnicity, disadvantage - are narrowing in response to the action taken by government, schools and colleges in recent years," said the ASCL general secretary. |
| He said that the improvements were also a "testament to the additional funding that has been put into city challenge and other programmes, enabling schools in these areas to employ more staff and support students with one-to-one and small group tuition, holiday revision sessions and other targeted support." | He said that the improvements were also a "testament to the additional funding that has been put into city challenge and other programmes, enabling schools in these areas to employ more staff and support students with one-to-one and small group tuition, holiday revision sessions and other targeted support." |
| Schools Minister Vernon Coaker highlighted the closing of the attainment gaps - particularly for disadvantaged areas. | Schools Minister Vernon Coaker highlighted the closing of the attainment gaps - particularly for disadvantaged areas. |
| "This is proof that being born in a less affluent area does not condemn children to poor results." | "This is proof that being born in a less affluent area does not condemn children to poor results." |
| "But there are no single, easy solutions to making sure individual children in individual classrooms get the most out of school. | "But there are no single, easy solutions to making sure individual children in individual classrooms get the most out of school. |
| "All schools have the desire and the tools to close this gap by providing each child with the education they particularly need - but it takes time and energy from both parents and teachers to make changes and the evidence focused long term support to get sustained improvement over time." | "All schools have the desire and the tools to close this gap by providing each child with the education they particularly need - but it takes time and energy from both parents and teachers to make changes and the evidence focused long term support to get sustained improvement over time." |
| Shadow Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: "It is a tragedy that the gap between our poorest white boys and our wealthiest white boys continues... It is outrageous that the government continues to let down our most deprived children." | Shadow Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: "It is a tragedy that the gap between our poorest white boys and our wealthiest white boys continues... It is outrageous that the government continues to let down our most deprived children." |
| The Liberal Democrats' schools spokesman David Laws, said: "It is shameful that the most disadvantaged children are only half as likely to get five good GCSEs than those who are better off." | The Liberal Democrats' schools spokesman David Laws, said: "It is shameful that the most disadvantaged children are only half as likely to get five good GCSEs than those who are better off." |