Latest news with #ethnicminority
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
White British children are now minority in one in four schools
White British pupils are now the minority in one in four schools in England, official data reveal. Analysis of school census data, collected from more than 21,500 primaries and secondaries in January, shows that in a quarter of them, the majority of the cohort is recorded as ethnic minority or white non-British. In 72 schools, no white British pupils are recorded, and in 454, they make up less than 2 per cent of the student body. The demographic shift is apparent in many of the country's big cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford and Leicester. At Rockwood Academy, in Birmingham, for instance, none of the 1,084 students were recorded in the census as 'white British', while just 12 of the 2,779 pupils at Loxford School, in the London borough of Redbridge, were white British. The figures, released by the Department of Education this week, have been published as a report predicted that white British people will become a minority in the UK population within the next 40 years. The Buckingham University study projects a big rise in the proportion of the UK population comprising foreign-born and second-generation immigrants, from below 20 per cent to 33.5 per cent within the next 25 years. By the end of the century, six in 10 people in the UK will either not have been born in the UK, or will have at least one immigrant parent, and one in five will be Muslim, according to the report by Prof Matt Goodwin. The dramatic population change raises 'profound questions about the capacity of the UK state to both absorb and manage this scale of demographic change', he claimed. Concern about legal and illegal immigration levels, and their long-term impact, is fuelling a surge in support for Reform. In this week's Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, in Scotland, Labour prised a win from the SNP but only Reform saw a significant swing in its favour, taking 26.1 per cent of the vote. The party's performance has led to predictions that Reform is on course to pick up more than 10 seats in next year's Scottish Parliament elections, and poses a real threat in the 2029 general election. The school census data demonstrates that the white British share of the young population is in decline in many areas. Children in state schools in a third of council areas are now mostly ethnic minority or white non-British, up from about a quarter a decade ago. In all 32 London boroughs, apart from Bromley, white British children are in a minority. In Bromley, they make up 50.3 per cent. In Newham, just 5 per cent of children were recorded in the school census as white British. The figure in Harrow was 7 per cent. Other local authority areas in England where the majority of children are not white British include Manchester, Nottingham, Coventry, Luton, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Oldham and Blackburn and Darwen. The analysis of the school census figures excludes independent schools, schools where a high proportion of students had no ethnicity classification, and those where there were a very low number of pupils. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, raised the 'scandal' last week of white working-class educational failure, saying that children had been 'betrayed' and 'left behind in society'. Government data shows that only 21 secondary schools in England where more than a fifth of pupils are white working class had any record of success with this group. Nick Harrison, the chief executive of the Sutton Trust social mobility charity, said white working class underachievement was 'a ticking time bomb for equality of opportunity in our country'. In an attempt to steal ground from Reform, Ms Phillipson announced a new independent inquiry into white working class educational outcomes, which will be led by Sir Hamid Patel, the chief executive of a leading academies trust, and Estelle Morris, a former Labour education secretary. While the issue has been widely researched in the past, it has resulted in little or no action to try and tackle the problem. A comprehensive inquiry undertaken by the Commons education committee in 2021 found a significant educational achievement gap between white working class children and their more advantaged peers, and between this group and their equally disadvantaged ethnic minority counterparts. According to the report, attainment gaps are fuelled by high concentrations of poverty, inadequate resources, low teacher quality, and a lack of aspiration and investment in disadvantaged areas. Use of the term 'white privilege' was also criticised for potentially alienating disadvantaged white communities Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
White British children are now minority in one in four schools
White British pupils are now the minority in one in four schools in England, official data reveal. Analysis of school census data, collected from more than 21,500 primaries and secondaries in January, shows that in a quarter of them, the majority of the cohort is recorded as ethnic minority or white non-British. In 72 schools, no white British pupils are recorded, and in 454, they make up less than 2 per cent of the student body. The demographic shift is apparent in many of the country's big cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford and Leicester. At Rockwood Academy, in Birmingham, for instance, none of the 1,084 students were recorded in the census as 'white British', while just 12 of the 2,779 pupils at Loxford School, in the London borough of Redbridge, were white British. The figures, released by the Department of Education this week, have been published as a report predicted that white British people will become a minority in the UK population within the next 40 years. The Buckingham University study projects a big rise in the proportion of the UK population comprising foreign-born and second-generation immigrants, from below 20 per cent to 33.5 per cent within the next 25 years. By the end of the century, six in 10 people in the UK will either not have been born in the UK, or will have at least one immigrant parent, and one in five will be Muslim, according to the report by Prof Matt Goodwin. The dramatic population change raises 'profound questions about the capacity of the UK state to both absorb and manage this scale of demographic change', he claimed. Concern about legal and illegal immigration levels, and their long-term impact, is fuelling a surge in support for Reform. In this week's Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, in Scotland, Labour prised a win from the SNP but only Reform saw a significant swing in its favour, taking 26.1 per cent of the vote. The party's performance has led to predictions that Reform is on course to pick up more than 10 seats in next year's Scottish Parliament elections, and poses a real threat in the 2029 general election. The school census data demonstrates that the white British share of the young population is in decline in many areas. Children in state schools in a third of council areas are now mostly ethnic minority or white non-British, up from about a quarter a decade ago. In all 32 London boroughs, apart from Bromley, white British children are in a minority. In Bromley, they make up 50.3 per cent. In Newham, just 5 per cent of children were recorded in the school census as white British. The figure in Harrow was 7 per cent. Other local authority areas in England where the majority of children are not white British include Manchester, Nottingham, Coventry, Luton, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Oldham and Blackburn and Darwen. The analysis of the school census figures excludes independent schools, schools where a high proportion of students had no ethnicity classification, and those where there were a very low number of pupils. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, raised the 'scandal' last week of white working-class educational failure, saying that children had been 'betrayed' and 'left behind in society'. Government data shows that only 21 secondary schools in England where more than a fifth of pupils are white working class had any record of success with this group. Nick Harrison, the chief executive of the Sutton Trust social mobility charity, said white working class underachievement was 'a ticking time bomb for equality of opportunity in our country'. In an attempt to steal ground from Reform, Ms Phillipson announced a new independent inquiry into white working class educational outcomes, which will be led by Sir Hamid Patel, the chief executive of a leading academies trust, and Estelle Morris, a former Labour education secretary. While the issue has been widely researched in the past, it has resulted in little or no action to try and tackle the problem. A comprehensive inquiry undertaken by the Commons education committee in 2021 found a significant educational achievement gap between white working class children and their more advantaged peers, and between this group and their equally disadvantaged ethnic minority counterparts. According to the report, attainment gaps are fuelled by high concentrations of poverty, inadequate resources, low teacher quality, and a lack of aspiration and investment in disadvantaged areas. Use of the term 'white privilege' was also criticised for potentially alienating disadvantaged white communities
Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Trans children more likely to be ‘white and privileged', says Katharine Birbalsingh
Transgender children are more likely to be 'white and privileged', Britain's so-called strictest head teacher has claimed. Katharine Birbalsingh, 52, also said that they are searching for 'victimhood narratives', which she claims are 'admired' in modern society. The former government social mobility tsar, who is head teacher at the Michaela Community School in north west London, suggested she was 'unlikely' to have any transgender pupils because of the school's heavy ethnic minority intake. 'I think if one actually did a survey on this sort of thing nationally, I think you would find that white privileged kids would be more likely to be doing that,' she told The Standard. 'No question. 'Our society is such that victimhood is admired. And if you feel that you're white and privileged, then you don't have much of a victimhood narrative to embrace. 'So then you need to find something to embrace to be respected by your peers.' Ms Birbalsingh said she did not expect to be welcoming a trans pupil soon because much of the Michaela intake is from the inner city. 'That plays a huge part,' she continued. 'I think they'd be less inclined.' She added that she would want to support any child identifying as trans at the school and 'make sure they weren't just participating in a fad'. The head teacher said her school discourages children from doing anything 'performative'. 'Of course there are obstacles – racism, transphobia, homophobia, misogyny, all that exists clearly,' she added. 'But how you react to that obstacle is up to you. We reject victimhood and embrace agency and personal responsibility.' 157 children under 10 await gender care New figures show 157 children awaiting gender care in England and Wales are aged 10 or under. The data, obtained following the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman last month, also show there were 6,225 children on the national waiting list at the end of March – up from 5,560 at the same point a year earlier. Although the court ruling does not directly affect pupils, as gender recognition certificates are only available to people aged 18 or over, experts have said it will have consequences for the school admission policies of single-sex schools. The Telegraph has previously revealed that the NHS is treating nursery school-age children who believe they are transgender after watering down its own guidance. Ms Birbalsingh, who is known for her strict, uncompromising rule, said her school's values 'encourage the kids to seek the truth'. She has already banned phones entirely at Michaela and encourages parents not to buy them for under-16s at all. In April last year, the High Court upheld her ban on Muslim prayers taking place during the learning day. A pupil claimed the policy was discriminatory and infringed her right to religious freedom. However, the court sided with Ms Birbalsingh who had argued the ban was vital to ensure 'children of all races and religions can thrive'.
