Education: Ethnic Groups

(asked on 11th May 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to tackle the attainment gap among BAME students.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 21st May 2018

Our education policies are intended to ensure that all young people, whatever their background or circumstances, have the opportunity to reach their potential.

There is no single picture of Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) attainment, but rather substantial variation between different groups.

Students from some BAME groups attain at or above the national average for all pupils at Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4. This includes pupils of Chinese, Indian, Mixed White and Asian, Irish, Bangladeshi, Mixed White and Black African, and Black African origin. Attainment for Pakistani, Mixed White and Black Caribbean pupils, whilst still below the national average, has increased at a faster rate than for other groups over the last four years, and consequently attainment gaps have narrowed.

Teachers and school leaders are best placed to understand and respond to the specific needs of their pupils and increase opportunity and attainment for all their pupils, including particular barriers faced by BAME pupils. We have, therefore, focused our efforts on creating an environment whereby teachers and leaders have the autonomy to do the best for their pupils, backed by robust accountability and funding.

Given the clear influence of economic circumstance on pupil attainment, we have continued to provide schools with additional funding through the pupil premium to support their disadvantaged pupils. BAME pupils disproportionately benefit from the pupil premium.

The data that we gather on the educational outcomes of children and young people from BAME groups will continue to be published on the Cabinet Office’s ‘Ethnicity Facts and Figures’ website (https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/). This website publishes, in one place, data from across government on how outcomes from public services vary for people of different ethnicities.

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