Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has issued a damning indictment of England's education system, declaring that white working-class children are being "failed" after official figures revealed they have the lowest attainment rates of any demographic group.
The Conservative MP for Chichester delivered the stark assessment during a major speech, highlighting what she called a "real injustice" that has persisted for far too long. The latest government data paints a troubling picture: just 47.5% of white British pupils eligible for free school meals achieved a strong pass in GCSE English and Maths last year.
This figure stands in shocking contrast to other groups:
- Chinese pupils not eligible for free school meals: 83.3%
- Indian pupils not eligible: 80.1%
- Bangladeshi pupils eligible: 61.6%
- Black African pupils eligible: 57.2%
"For white children on free school meals, only 47.5% got a good pass in English and Maths," Keegan stated. "That is the lowest of any group. And that means they're being failed."
The Education Secretary's comments mark a significant acknowledgment from a senior government figure about the specific challenges facing this demographic. She emphasised that these children are "punished for their background" by an system that isn't serving them effectively.
Keegan pointed to several factors contributing to this attainment gap, including higher rates of persistent absence and lower participation in early years education compared to other disadvantaged groups. She has pledged to address these issues through targeted interventions and better support systems.
The speech has sparked fresh debate about educational inequality in England and the need for more effective policies to support all disadvantaged children, regardless of their ethnic background.
