STEM Subjects: Ethnic Groups

(asked on 22nd June 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the educational attainment of Black pupils compared to pupils of other ethnic origins in STEM subjects at A-level.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 28th June 2021

The Department publishes data on the results of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 assessments, including in Mathematics and science, broken down by ethnicity, in the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 statistics publications, available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-key-stage-1 and here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-key-stage-2#national-curriculum-assessments-at-key-stage-2. Key Stage 3 assessments are no longer carried out. With regard to Key Stage 4, the Department does not publish statistics at this level which show the attainment in science, technology, engineering or Mathematics (STEM) subjects versus all others by ethnicity.

Data is routinely published on the achievement of STEM A level subjects broken down by ethnicity and other student characteristics in the A level and other 16 to 18 results statistical release, available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-attainment-at-19-years#a-levels-and-other-16-to-18-results.

The Department commissioned research by Renaissance Learning and the Education Policy Institute to understand pupils' progress over the course of the 2020/21 academic year. The research uses assessments from Renaissance Learning which some schools use as part of their usual formative assessment schedule. The research estimates education lost by predicting what pupils would have scored in a normal year using their historic results and compare that against their actual scores.

The Department has looked at the results by Black pupils and pupils belonging to other ethnic groups, but there is not a consistent picture of which ethnic groups have been worse affected across phases, subjects, and time periods in the study. Small sample sizes make it difficult to draw statistically significant conclusions about differences in impact between ethnic groups based on this study.

The Department has invested over £3 billion since June 2020 to support education recovery for children aged 2 to 19 in schools, colleges, and early years. This will have a material impact in addressing lost education and closing gaps that have emerged. As part of this, we have announced significant investment in reforms which the evidence shows have the biggest impact on pupils' progress: small group tuition and high quality teaching. For example, effective tutoring has been shown to boost catch up education by much as 3 to 5 months at a time.

The Department has committed to an ambitious, long-term education recovery plan and the next stage will include a review of time spent in school and college and the impact this could have on helping children and young people to catch up. The findings of the review will be set out later in the year to inform the Spending Review.

Ensuring that anyone, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to pursue a career in a STEM occupation is a key priority for this Government. The Department has made substantial spending commitments on Mathematics, digital, and technical education to encourage more students into STEM, from primary school to higher education. The demand for STEM skills is growing and improving take up of STEM subjects is vital for the UK’s future economic needs and to drive up productivity.

The Department is proud to have rolled out programmes such as the Advanced Maths Support Programme, Stimulating Physics Network, Enthuse bursaries, Teaching for Mastery and Isaac Physics. Together, these programmes will increase STEM support and uptake across all key stages, enhancing the next generation’s mathematical and scientific skills on which the STEM sector is underpinned.

Furthermore, programmes such as STEM Ambassadors, where volunteers who are employed in STEM industries engage directly with young people, help broaden pupils’ understanding of careers in science and engineering and how they can apply their individual skills and interests to different opportunities.

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