Sir Peter Lampl and the Sutton Trust believe that giving disadvantaged students fairer access to the best state schools will help raise their aspirations too.
Admissions
Sir Peter Lampl is the chairman of the Sutton Trust, a charity dedicated to improving social mobility through education. Believing in Better, the charity’s latest research piece, found that disadvantaged students were less likely to think they will go on to university than their more advantaged peers, with only 27% having high aspirations compared with 39% of their better off peers.
The report identified a number of different factors that are important in shaping pupils’ aspirations and their own belief in their abilities. These include attending a more academically effective primary school, a well-resourced secondary school and being encouraged to spend time on homework.
To level the academic playing field, the Sutton Trust and Sir Peter have called for more support for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to access the best state schools. This includes using ballots and banding for admissions so that “a wider mix of pupils” have access to their roll.
Aspirations
Sir Peter Lampl said the report showed the need to raise aspirations and self-belief in pupils from poorer homes.
“We need to offer more support to disadvantaged young people throughout their education so that they are in a position to fulfil their potential after GCSE,” he said.
“Crucially it shows that both aspirations and attainment matter for pupils, so it is vital that schools support both particularly for their poorer pupils.”
Support
The Sutton Trust’s report received widespread support. Russell Hobby, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, told schoolsweek.co.uk.
“It is not just low aspirations that can stop children from disadvantaged backgrounds from getting the best education, or from attending university.
“To improve standards at university age, groundwork must have been laid at ages two and three. Access to high quality early years provision is crucial for all children, and we must ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds have equal opportunities to attend the best schools – throughout their education,” he said.
Please read the Sutton Trust’s Believing in Better report, here: http://www.suttontrust.com/researcharchive/believing-in-better/
Comments are closed.