Breaking the cycle of underachievement

1
Breaking the cycle of underachievement

• David Normington
• National Literacy Conference
• 28th October 2002

2
Social background has a more persistent influence
on attainment than early test scores
AVERAGE RANK OF TEST SCORES BY SOCIO-ECONOMIC
STATUS (SES) OF PARENTS AND EARLY RANK POSITION
SOURCE Average rank of test scores at 22, 42,
60 120 months, by SES of parents and early rank
position, Feinstein (2001)
3
Achievement is lower for those from lower SEGs
and the gap increases across Key Stages 1, 2 and 3
ATTAINMENT OF NATIONAL CURRICULUM STANDARD BY
SCHOOL FSM BAND (2000)
SOURCE DfES School level data
4
GCSE attainment
PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN ACHIEVING 5 A-C GCSE
PASSES BY
Parents SEG
Accommodation Type
SOURCE Youth Cohort Study
5
Participation in HE varies enormously between
social groups
PARTICIPATION IN HE BY SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND,
GREAT BRITAIN 2000
SOURCE DfES calculations based on various data
sources
6
Participation in HE at 19 by parental education
7
Difference in reading literacy scores between
high and low socio-economic groups
The PISA study uses the International
Socio-Economic Index of Occupational Status to
determine high and low socio-economic groups.
Full details of the socio-economic classification
used can be found at http//www.pisa.oecd.org/
8
Our adult literacy standards are low
PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION, 16 TO 65, AT
LITERACY LEVEL 1 (1994-95)
SOURCE OECD Education at a Glance 2001 P39
(International Adult Literacy Survey)
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Sure Start

• to work with parents, parents-to-be and children
  to promote the physical, social, and intellectual
  development of babies and young children -
  particularly those who are disadvantaged so they
  can flourish at home and when they get to school

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Early Years and Childcare

• new childcare places for 1.6m children by 2004
• a further 250, 000 childcare places by 2006
• Delivering a free early education place for all
  three and four year olds whose parents want one
• 900 neighbourhood nurseries in disadvantaged areas

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Family Literacy

• Keeping up with the Children builds on
  parents interest in the literacy hour in schools
  to help them support their children and improve
  their own basic skills.
• Family Literacy and Numeracy programmes
  recruits hard to reach families in partnership
  with community and voluntary organisations.
• Early Start a programme aimed at new and
  existing parents and carer with basic skills
  needs bringing together education, care and
  health services.

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Percentage Points Improvement from 1997 to
2001In the Proportion Achieving Level 4 At KS2
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LEAS achieving 75 Level 4 English 1998
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LEAS achieving 75 Level 4 English 2002
(provisional)