UK’s poorer children ‘failing before they’ve started’

The report from Save the Children, Too Young to Fail, warns that as many as 520,000 seven-year-old children, of whom 220,000 are from the lowest income bracket, could be behind in reading by 2020.

Many children starting school this term already have the odds stacked against them. Justin Forsyth, Save the Children

Nearly a fifth of seven-year-olds are already behind in their reading, the charity said. For children from poorer backgrounds , one in four is likely to be behind – compared with 10 per cent from wealthier backgrounds.

Through no fault of their own, Save the Children says, children as young as seven are being set on course for poorer life chances before they have even started.

‘Cost of failing’

The gap means poorer children are more likely to be hit by the impact of lower achievement in later life – from earning lower incomes to poorer health and an increased chance of spending time in prison.

Justin Forsyth, chief executive at Save the Children, said: “Many children starting school this term already have the odds stacked against them.

“These children of the recession, born during the global financial crisis into a world of slow growth, stagnant wages and increasing living costs, where communities are feeling the effects of austerity, need our help more than ever.

At every stage of schooling, the UK’s poorest children are likely to do worse and make less progress than their better-off classmates. Too Young to Fail

“The cost of failing is a young child without a fair chance in life however hard they try.”

At the same time, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released research which says the UK is amongst the lowest performing countries in 24 developed nations.

UK 16-24 year olds ranked 22nd for literacy and 21st for numeracy out of 24 countries tested.

Wealth gap

Save the Children says that by the age of seven, nearly 80 per cent of the difference in GCSE results between poorer and richer children, measured as those eligible for free school meals and those who are not, has already been determined – based on literacy and numeracy levels.

At worst, it can mean higher rates of truancy, anti-social behaviour and being more likely to end up in prison. Too Young to Fail

This gap manifests itself in GCSE results. The report said that in 2012, 36.3 per cent of children on free school meals achieved five A* to C grades including English and maths, compared with 62.6 per cent of their “better-off” peers.

White British children from disadvantaged backgrounds are least likely to do well at school. In 2012, only 26 per cent of disadvantaged white British boys and 35 per cent of disadvantaged white British girls achieved five A*to C GCSE grades including English and maths, the report said.

“At every stage of schooling, the UK’s poorest children are likely to do worse and make less progress than their better-off classmates,” the report said.

“At worst, it can mean higher rates of truancy, anti-social behaviour and being more likely to end up in prison.”

Financial squeeze

The economic crisis has put extra pressure on parents’ abilities to support their children, the report adds.

Save the Children surveyed 2,000 parents of young children from “low income”, “moderate income”, “middle income” and “better-off” groups.

The survey found that nearly a quarter of parents say they have less money than they did five years ago, and that this means they cannot afford school trips and other activities.

Around one in five parents said they have had to stop some or all of their children’s activities because costs have increased, and one in six of all parents said they are now working longer hours, and are more likely to be at work when their children are at home.

Nearly three times the number of parents on the lowest incomes, earning less than £16,999 a year, have had to cut down on activities for their children than parents on the highest incomes, the research said.

Parents on modest incomes, from £17,000 to £29,999, are being “squeezed”, Save the Children said. One in four say they struggle more than they used to just to make ends meet, and 29.1 per cent said they have less money.

Unfair cycle

The report also said that where a child is educated is important. It cited a recent Ofsted report that said disadvantaged children from places in the south-east of England, such as west Berkshire, are least likely to do well in their exams.

“The economic downturn means that times are getting harder for families,” the report says.

“The nature of living in a deprived home has a knock-on effect on a child’s ability to be able to do well at school, influencing what they go on to do in adulthood – without intervention, the cycle of unfair opportunities becomes harder to break.”

Save the Children has called on the government to sign up to an ambition that by 2020 all children can start primary school “ready to learn”, can catch up quickly if they start school “already behind”, and can leave primary school with a “good, fulfilling education.”

The charity also called for all political parties top develop proposals for their 2015 election manifestos to tackle the education gap.

Save the Children also launched its own programme, Born to Read, by which it will reach 23,000 children over the next few years to help them with their reading.