The class of students that educators won't fight for

Fewer than 1 in 5 white working class boys in England achieve a strong set of GCSEs. Part of the problem is that educational leaders see no career advancement in tackling the issue, argues Tom Bewick

In 2021, shortly after British schools emerged from multiple lockdowns due to the pandemic, the House of Commons Education Select Committee issued a report.

The forgotten: how White working-class pupils have been let down, and how to change it highlighted that white British pupils on eligible free school meals (FSM) consistently underperformed against those of other ethnic groups and middle-class kids in general.

Such disparities in educational attainment for white working-class boys extend from the early years of education all the way up to degree level.

What was so remarkable about it was that, following the publication of this 83-page cross-party report by MPs, not a single national-level education leader commented about it or spoke in support of its main recommendations. No tweets. No comment.

I recall highlighting the report at the time in the only op-ed that appeared, which I wrote, as someone with a working-class foster-care leaver bac…