30th July 2019

Infographic: What are the causes of the education disadvantage gap?

The Education Policy Institute has published its 2019 Annual Report on the state of education in England – including the progress made in closing the gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

This infographic displays the drivers of the disadvantage gap. It presents the experiences of two children: one from a socio-economically disadvantaged family and the other from a more affluent family.

By the end of secondary school, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils is 1.5 years behind that of their non-disadvantaged peers. Throughout the stages of childhood, negative and positive factors act to mediate the relationship between socio-economic position and educational attainment. These factors can accumulate over time to weigh down the attainment of a disadvantaged child and increase the likelihood that they will fall further behind a more affluent child.

Click to enlarge


Sources:
Education Policy Institute Annual Report‘, 2019
Key drivers of the disadvantage gap: Literature review‘, 2018