‘White working-class boys underperforming’ is not a new story. However, it is a story of a group in society who can truly be said to have been left behind. For nearly 30 years, policymakers have largely ignored the problem, which is that if poverty alone explained outcomes, then all groups on free school meals (FSM) would trend similarly.

In reality, some disadvantaged groups have made rapid improvements leaving white working-class boys on FSM in continuing decline. This implies the need to look at policy interventions that address deep cultural, institutional and behavioural/attitudinal barriers to progress - a multi-agency approach, embedded and entrenched through local interventions. Even though white boys are mid-range for exclusions from school being below other ethnic groups such as Roma/Traveller/ Black Caribbean and mixed white/black Caribbean, there are more of them in number. So, reducing exclusion rates must be a priority in order to improve school outcomes.

 Figure 1 below tells the story since 2010, but it is a story that begins as the UK (like other countries) began to become a “Knowledge-based” economy. Before the turn of the millennium white British pupils were broadly mid-performing relative to other groups. However, in the early 2000s the first reports emerge of white working-class pupils (on free school meals - FSM) falling behind all major ethnic groups at GCSE (The Guardian).

By the 2010s the gap becomes structurally entrenched with white working-class boys on FSM being the lowest or second lowest every year (suttontrust.com)

Figure 1: GCSE attainment of pupils on free school meals

Source: DfE/ONS

 Then during the 2020s the gap persists with little improvement despite overall attainment changes (The Standard) following the Gove reforms of secondary education and the introduction of the EBacc.

 What this data suggests is that there are three areas which need urgent attention. The first is that local places with high concentrations of white working-class boys on FSM correlate heavily with areas offering few jobs for those young men once they leave school. People want work where they live, not just in London and the Southeast. Second, our school system is failing to provide a rich enough curriculum for all talents to thrive. The curriculum needs reform. The education system needs to be rebooted .Finally, local people know best what local people need most. Keep devolving as that will help put money where it is likely to have the most impact.

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