logo
Underachievement of working class boys needs urgent strategy

Underachievement of working class boys needs urgent strategy

'Too often working class boys start behind and stay behind,' Sam Rushworth, MP for Bishop Auckland said.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Rushworth said: 'What concerns me most is not just the data, but the absence of outrage and lack of urgency.
'It wasn't always this way. In the 1970s and 80s, it was girls who were lagging behind, and the government rightly took action to improve outcomes for girls – introducing targeted support, challenging curriculum bias, expanding grammar schools for girls and promoting girls access to Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths).
'And these were not small tweaks, they were deliberate strategic interventions, and they worked. Now that the situation is reversed with boys persistently underachieving, where is the strategy?
'I'm not talking about a general strategy to address deprivation or educational disadvantage, but a specific evidence-based deliverable strategy around boys and young men, which addresses the gender based aspects of underachievement.'
During the debate on educational attainment of boys, Mr Rushworth said a 'coded message in our current curriculum is that society values academic excellence over development of technical skills'.
He went on to say: 'I believe we urgently need a national strategy for boys' attainment – cross-party, evidence-based and rooted in fairness.
'It should invest in teacher training that recognises gender bias and engages boys more effectively.
'It should embed social emotional learning throughout the curriculum, especially in early years and transition stages, expand vocational and technical pathways, recognising different routes to success, promote leadership opportunities for boys in school life, and, most importantly, ensure transparent gender disaggregated data to hold ourselves accountable nationally and locally.'
He added: 'I don't want boys in Bishop Auckland or in Bootle, Barry or Basingstoke to feel like the system has no place for them. I want them to feel seen, supported and believed in, because when we raise the floor for those who are struggling, we lift the whole classroom.'
Labour's Helen Hayes, chairwoman of the education select committee, said there is 'a need for a strategic approach to this', but it is a 'complex' area.
She told MPs: 'We know that white British boys, black Caribbean boys, and mixed white and black Caribbean boys eligible for free school meals, have particularly low levels of attainment, as do those from Gypsy-Roma or travellers of Irish heritage.'
'Men still earn more on average, with the gender pay gap growing over time, so this is an area of policy that requires complex and nuanced consideration,' she added.
Education minister Catherine McKinnell said: 'We know that on average boys have lower attainment than girls, and as a Government we are determined to understand and address the drivers behind this, because all children should have the opportunity to achieve and thrive in their education.'
She added that a Schools White Paper will be published in the autumn and the Government is working alongside Sir Hamid Patel and Estelle Morris on an inquiry into the 'barriers to attainment for white working-class children'.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Starmer has ‘made a mistake' with plan to recognise Palestinian state
Starmer has ‘made a mistake' with plan to recognise Palestinian state

Leader Live

timea minute ago

  • Leader Live

Starmer has ‘made a mistake' with plan to recognise Palestinian state

The Government last week said it will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to meet certain conditions, including a ceasefire and a revival of the two-state solution. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister reiterated that Hamas must release the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and play no role in the government of Gaza. The Government will then make an assessment in September 'on how far the parties have met these steps', the Prime Minister said. During a visit to a farm in Little Walden, Essex, on Tuesday, Mrs Badenoch said she would never agree to recognising a Palestinian state while Hamas is still in power in Gaza. She said: 'Absolutely not. No. Hamas is a terrorist organisation. We should not be creating a new terrorist state. 'This is basic stuff, and I don't understand why Keir Starmer doesn't understand that.' The Tory leader added: 'Keir Starmer has made a mistake. What we need to focus on now is a ceasefire and getting the hostages home. 'We've been seeing images of a hostage who looks like he's being starved to death, forced to dig his own grave. This is what Hamas is about. 'Now is not the time to reward them for their atrocities and for the massacre they committed on October 7 by giving them statehood recognition. 'We want to see a two-state solution after a peace settlement done in the right way at the right time. It is not the right thing to do now. 'And I'm not surprised that British hostages like Emily Damari have condemned the Government for the approach they've taken.' Ms Damari, a British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for more than a year, has said she believes Sir Keir is 'not standing on the right side of history' after his conditional pledge to recognise Palestine. Mrs Badenoch's comments came as it was announced a protest will take place in London this weekend opposing Sir Keir's plans to recognise Palestine as a state. Demonstrators, including some British family members of hostages still held by Hamas, will march on Downing Street calling for the release of the remaining hostages before any talk about the recognition of Palestine. Marchers will include the relatives of Avinatan Or, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival with his girlfriend Noa Argamani. Mr Or's cousin Ariel Felber, from London, said: 'Keir Starmer has failed the hostages and their families by not making it a condition that all the remaining hostages are brought home to their loved ones before he can even entertain talk of state recognition of Palestine. 'He urgently needs to correct this.' Steve Brisley from Bridgend, Wales, whose sister and nieces were murdered on October 7 and his brother-in-law Eli taken hostage, said: 'As British families of hostages and victims, devastated by the ongoing suffering of our loved ones, our emotional torture has been exacerbated by the suggestion that the UK may recognise a Palestinian state without securing the release of the hostages as an absolute precondition. 'This is not about politics. This is about basic humanity.' The family members are expected to be joined by Jewish leaders and other supporters on their National March For The Hostages through central London on Sunday afternoon. Tzipi Hotovely, Israeli ambassador to the UK, said on X that Hamas's actions 'must never be rewarded' as she highlighted the plight of one of the hostages, 24-year-old Evyatar David. Hamas released a video on Saturday which showed Mr David looking skeletal and hollow-eyed in a dimly lit Gaza tunnel. Ms Hotovely said: 'He is clearly malnourished and ill-treated. A shadow of his former self, his suffering is unimaginable. 'Like countless others who saw it, I was appalled by the sickening footage of Evyatar being forced to dig his own grave. 'This abhorrent footage shows Hamas for what they are – wicked terrorists who seek to inflict as much death, destruction and suffering on as many Jews and Israelis as they can. Their actions must never be rewarded.'

Starmer has ‘made a mistake' with plan to recognise Palestinian state
Starmer has ‘made a mistake' with plan to recognise Palestinian state

South Wales Guardian

timea minute ago

  • South Wales Guardian

Starmer has ‘made a mistake' with plan to recognise Palestinian state

The Government last week said it will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to meet certain conditions, including a ceasefire and a revival of the two-state solution. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister reiterated that Hamas must release the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and play no role in the government of Gaza. The Government will then make an assessment in September 'on how far the parties have met these steps', the Prime Minister said. During a visit to a farm in Little Walden, Essex, on Tuesday, Mrs Badenoch said she would never agree to recognising a Palestinian state while Hamas is still in power in Gaza. She said: 'Absolutely not. No. Hamas is a terrorist organisation. We should not be creating a new terrorist state. 'This is basic stuff, and I don't understand why Keir Starmer doesn't understand that.' The Tory leader added: 'Keir Starmer has made a mistake. What we need to focus on now is a ceasefire and getting the hostages home. 'We've been seeing images of a hostage who looks like he's being starved to death, forced to dig his own grave. This is what Hamas is about. 'Now is not the time to reward them for their atrocities and for the massacre they committed on October 7 by giving them statehood recognition. 'We want to see a two-state solution after a peace settlement done in the right way at the right time. It is not the right thing to do now. 'And I'm not surprised that British hostages like Emily Damari have condemned the Government for the approach they've taken.' Ms Damari, a British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for more than a year, has said she believes Sir Keir is 'not standing on the right side of history' after his conditional pledge to recognise Palestine. Mrs Badenoch's comments came as it was announced a protest will take place in London this weekend opposing Sir Keir's plans to recognise Palestine as a state. Demonstrators, including some British family members of hostages still held by Hamas, will march on Downing Street calling for the release of the remaining hostages before any talk about the recognition of Palestine. Marchers will include the relatives of Avinatan Or, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival with his girlfriend Noa Argamani. Mr Or's cousin Ariel Felber, from London, said: 'Keir Starmer has failed the hostages and their families by not making it a condition that all the remaining hostages are brought home to their loved ones before he can even entertain talk of state recognition of Palestine. 'He urgently needs to correct this.' Steve Brisley from Bridgend, Wales, whose sister and nieces were murdered on October 7 and his brother-in-law Eli taken hostage, said: 'As British families of hostages and victims, devastated by the ongoing suffering of our loved ones, our emotional torture has been exacerbated by the suggestion that the UK may recognise a Palestinian state without securing the release of the hostages as an absolute precondition. 'This is not about politics. This is about basic humanity.' The family members are expected to be joined by Jewish leaders and other supporters on their National March For The Hostages through central London on Sunday afternoon. Tzipi Hotovely, Israeli ambassador to the UK, said on X that Hamas's actions 'must never be rewarded' as she highlighted the plight of one of the hostages, 24-year-old Evyatar David. Hamas released a video on Saturday which showed Mr David looking skeletal and hollow-eyed in a dimly lit Gaza tunnel. Ms Hotovely said: 'He is clearly malnourished and ill-treated. A shadow of his former self, his suffering is unimaginable. 'Like countless others who saw it, I was appalled by the sickening footage of Evyatar being forced to dig his own grave. 'This abhorrent footage shows Hamas for what they are – wicked terrorists who seek to inflict as much death, destruction and suffering on as many Jews and Israelis as they can. Their actions must never be rewarded.'

Iranian officials 'ask Taliban for leaked kill list' to 'target British spies'
Iranian officials 'ask Taliban for leaked kill list' to 'target British spies'

Daily Mirror

time2 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Iranian officials 'ask Taliban for leaked kill list' to 'target British spies'

The list, which was leaked by the military in 2022, contains the names of MI6 spies and British special forces personnel - as well as thousands of Afghans who applied for asylum in the UK Iran has reportedly asked the Taliban for the leaked 'kill list' that names MI6 spies, British special forces, and thousands of Afghans who applied for asylum in the UK. ‌ A senior Iranian official said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had requested that the Taliban share the list, according to The Telegraph. He told the newspaper that there was a 'special committee' assigned to find the list in Iran. ‌ He added: 'There have been discussions on cooperation between Tehran and Kabul on this issue as it can help both countries for negotiations with the West.' It comes after NATO scrambled warplanes as Russia shoots down West's F-16 fighter jet in Ukraine onslaught. ‌ The list, which was accidentally leaked by the British military, named thousands of Afghans. About 24,000 of those affected by the breach have either been brought to the UK or will be in the future, The Times reported last month. The leak occurred when an official emailed the list outside of the government team processing relocation applications. The document contained names, contact details, and family information, as well as email addresses belonging to UK government officials. ‌ More than 100 British officials' details were leaked alongside Afghan nationals, including those of spies, and serving and former members of the special forces. The police ultimately decided that no investigation was needed, and the BBC confirmed that the official responsible is no longer in the post he occupied at the time of the leak. Most of the people affected by the leak were not warned that they were in danger, according to The Times. Defence secretary John Healey said in a statement last month that the 'serious data incident should never have happened'. He said: It may have occurred three years ago under the previous government… But to all those whose information was compromised, I offer a sincere apology today on behalf of the British government. And I trust the Shadow Defence Secretary – as a former Defence Minister – will join me in this.' A Taliban official told The Telegraph that the group had obtained the list in 2022. He claimed that the media reports published in England made it clear 'how significant this leak was', and said that the order is to 'arrest as many individuals as possible to use them as a tool of diplomatic pressure against England'. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson told the publication: 'We take the safety of our personnel very seriously and personnel, particularly those in sensitive positions, always have appropriate measures in place to protect their security.' They said that the independent Rimmer Review found that it was 'highly unlikely' that being on the spreadsheet could mean an individual is 'more likely to be targeted'.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store