No improvement in school attainment gap in England for 20 years, report says

Secondary school pupils. The report suggests those leaving school with poor GCSEs have a lack of a clear paths and ‘second chances’, leaving millions disadvantaged throughout their lifetime. Photograph: David Jones/PA

The attainment gap between poorer pupils and their better-off class mates is just as large now as it was 20 years ago, according to a damning new report which says the coronavirus pandemic is likely to have increased the inequalities in education

The landmark study, based on research carried out for the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and funded by the Nuffield Foundation, found that disadvantaged pupils start school behind their better-off peers, and those inequalities persist through their school years and beyond – eventually having an impact on earnings.