Inner-City Latin

A study out this week reveals that the geographic area in which a child lives has an impact on their academic achievement.  The research, by The Social Market Foundation, compared the performance of 11-year olds born in 2000 with those born in 1970 and examines inequality by region, income and ethnicity.  The findings show that "the geographic area a child comes from has become a more powerful predictive factor" than in the past.  Regional differences in attainment are apparently already discernable by the end of primary school and remain present even after other factors, such as ethnicity and income, are considered.

The initial research also showed that a very low proportion of pupils who receive Free School Meals end up achieving 5 A* to C grades at GCSE level (40%) compared to those not receiving Free School Meals (70%), indicating that parental income is still very much a factor in children’s levels of attainment. In primary school children the study found that high ability children at age 11 are much more likely to come from families in the top income deciles and low ability children to come from families in the bottom income deciles.

The good news is that students in London have the highest results in England.  But even in the capital results vary by location.  Kensington and Chelsea, one of London’s most affluent boroughs, (where the average earnings in 2012/13 were £116,350) has the highest percentage of pupils achieving five good GCSEs in state schools across all of England.  While just a few miles away Barking and Dagenham (where the median income is £29,420) is among the bottom 20 local authorities in all of England for primary school inspection outcomes

At the Latin Programme we know that by the time children are seven, nearly 80% of the difference in GCSE results between rich and poor children has already been determined, which is why we focus our work in primary schools.  Our mission is to support all children, regardless of borough, ethnicity or family income to attain and improve their literacy skills, as being literate increases opportunity in all aspects of life, laying the foundations for better health, community involvement and employment,

Please support the Latin Programme in our work to open the future to all children through improving literacy.