Latest news with #NickHarrison
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Kids on free school meals earn £7,000 less if they live in one northern area
A disadvantaged child growing up in Newcastle on average earns £7,000 less in their late 20s compared to one who grows up in east London, a grim report shows today A disadvantaged child growing up in Newcastle on average earns £7,000 less in their late 20s compared to one who grows up in east London, a grim report shows. A deep dive into social mobility disparities today shows kids growing up in London are miles ahead compared to their peers. The report, by the education charity Sutton Trust, found 34% of kids on free school meals (FSM) gain a pass in Maths and English at GCSE in London, compared to 19-22% in the rest of the country. Children are eligible for FSM if their family's household income is less than £7,400 a year. In Sutton Trust's rankings of young people's levels of opportunity across England, London constituencies took all the top 20 places, and 42 of the top 50 constituencies. East Ham in London is ranked as the top constituency for opportunity in England, with Newcastle Upon Tyne Central and West ranked lowest. While the two areas have similar levels of FSM kids, 83% of kids in the London constituency are in sustained education or employment after GCSEs, compared to just 38% in the northern constituency. And FSM pupils from East Ham are also over three times more likely to have a degree by age 22, at 35%, compared to those in Newcastle, at 10%. More widely, 53% of FSM pupils from the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber were in education, an apprenticeship, or employment at age 28 - well below the 68% national average for England. While the north-south divide remained, the Sutton Trust also found 'drastic inequalities of opportunity across the South East'. Sevenoaks in Kent has the highest proportion of FSM pupils not in education or employment at the age of 28, at 57%, while Bicester and Woodstock in the same region has the lowest rate at 30%. Separate research by UCL today(THU) also found academically high-achieving teenagers from the most deprived backgrounds in England are five times more likely to be arrested and cautioned or sentenced than their peers from the wealthiest backgrounds. The Resolution Foundation estimates without urgent action the number of kids falling below the poverty line will hit a record high of 4.6million by the end of the decade. Keir Starmer has faced calls to scrap the two-child benefit limit, a Tory-era policy that is blamed for trapping kids in poverty. Ministers have so far resisted the pressure and have pointed to their child poverty taskforce, which is due to report soon on the Government's plans to reduce child poverty. The Sutton Trust also called for pupil premium funding, which supports disadvantaged pupils, to be increased, as it said its real terms value has fallen by 20% since 2014/15. Nick Harrison, chief executive of the Sutton Trust, said: 'This research paints a startling picture of inequality of opportunity across England. The life chances of disadvantaged young people remain strongly tied to where they grow up. If the Government genuinely wants to break down barriers to opportunity, we need serious investment in education and economic opportunities in the 'left behind' parts of the UK. Failing to act is damaging the life changes of too many of the next generation.' Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'Regional inequalities in educational attainment were exacerbated over the last decade by funding cuts under the previous government to schools and community services, the pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis. As well as increased funding for schools we also need more government investment in services like social care and mental health, as well as action to tackle poverty, if children across the country are to flourish in the classroom.'
The Guardian
27-02-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Only 5% of UK medical school entrants are working class, data shows
Students from working class backgrounds still only make up 5% of entrants to medical schools across the UK, a proportion that has doubled over the past decade, analysis has found. The research, conducted by the Sutton Trust and University College London (UCL), looked at almost 94,000 applicants to UK medical schools between 2012 and 2022, which represent almost half of all UK medical applicants. The analysis found that although the proportion of medical students from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds had doubled since 2012, they made up only 5% of entrants in 2021. In comparison, 75% of medical school entrants were from a higher socio-economic background. Socio-economic status was calculated by using the five-level National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) groupings of parental occupation. Applicants from independent schools across the UK were 1.5 times more likely to receive an offer from a medical school compared with students from non-selective state schools and, even after adjusting statistically for their exam grades, socio-economic status and other demographic factors, independent school applications were still more likely to receive an offer. The data also showed that a relatively small number of schools and colleges were producing a disproportionately high number of medical students. Eighty per cent of the 2,719 schools or colleges providing medical applicants had fewer than five a year. In comparison, there were 58 schools or colleges, 2% of all institutions, which had an average of 20 or more applicants per year. Nick Harrison, chief executive of the Sutton Trust, said the figures were outrageous, especially at a time when the NHS faces a 'chronic shortage of doctors and a heavy reliance on overseas recruitment'. He added: 'The medical profession is stretched to breaking point, and urgent action is needed to widen access and create a more diverse pipeline of talent from all parts of society. Patients benefit from doctors who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, but it's clear that we're a long way from that today. 'If you have the ability, where you grow up or your parents' income shouldn't be a barrier to becoming a doctor. Working-class entry into medicine is in a critical condition. The profession urgently needs a shot of equality.' Prof Katherine Woolf, professor of medical education research at UCL Medical School, said: 'Getting into medical school remains a huge hurdle in any doctor's career. Despite the many changes medical schools have made over the past decade to improve access to the profession, our research has shown low prior attainment remained a major barrier to many aspiring doctors from the poorest backgrounds. 'Providing enough doctors to meet the country's needs will require better support for future doctors, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This support is needed at all stages of a doctor's career: from school, before and during application to medical school, and throughout the many years of medical education and training that are essential to practise as a doctor.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion A government spokesperson said: 'While we inherited an education system with a number of baked-in inequalities, our ambitious plan for change sets out our clear mission to break the link between background and success. 'We will act to address the persistent gaps for different student groups and to break down the barriers to opportunity. 'This Government is committed to growing our own homegrown talent, and training thousands more doctors. We will work with partners including NHS England and the university sector to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to study medicine – regardless of their background.'
