One of the most heard-of themes we teachers encounter in our careers is the attainment gap. Closing the gap has been a recurrent topic I have discussed with other colleagues and I have read about since I staring my teaching career. This gap refers to the unequal educational achievement between different groups of student, often along socioeconomic, gender, and racial lines (and SEND). The attainment gap represents not only an educational challenge but also a concern for society, as it usually has long-lasting impacts on individuals and communities.
WHO IS AFFECTED?
The attainment gap is essentially an inequity in educational outcomes. It manifests as differences in academic performance, educational attainment, and opportunities for success among various groups of students. The groups commonly affected by the attainment gap include:
1. Pupil Premium (students from low-income families),
2. SEND (children with disabilities),
3. racial and ethnic minorities (especially Black and Asian students),
4. foster children (students in the care system), and
5. EAL students (English as an additional language).
However, schools may find that different social groups are affected by the attainment gap in their area. In some deprived areas, white British students or boys may be more affected. Teachers and leaders must be aware of the groups affected in their school to address them correctly and provide adequate support. This is why data analysis is crucial for academic success and to help disadvantaged communities promote social mobility.
The attainment gap manifests as differences in academic performance, educational attainment, and opportunities for success among various groups of students. These disparities are evident in academic achievement, with children from disadvantaged backgrounds often scoring lower on standardised tests, assessments, and examinations compared to their more privileged peers. Educational milestones such as the Phonics Screening Check, SATS, GCSEs, or A levels also reflect these differences. Moreover, economic disparities arise as education is a key determinant of future earnings; those facing barriers to educational success are more likely to experience economic hardship throughout their lives.
CAUSES OF THE ATTAINMENT GAP
The attainment gap results from a variety of factors, and understanding these is crucial for addressing and mitigating the gap. Here are the factors that I identify as the root causes of the gap:
Socioeconomic Status: Children from lower-income families often face challenges that more privileged students may overlook. Limited access to educational resources like books and pencils, unstable housing, and fewer enrichment opportunities contribute to this gap. Enrichment opportunities can be as simple as a weekly visit to the park, where children can interact, explore, and develop communication skills. It may also involve visits to museums the local library or other settings beyond their homes, where essential skills for success can be nurtured.
Educational Inequality: Disparities in the quality of education between schools and boroughs can perpetuate the gap. Schools in economically disadvantaged areas may have fewer experienced teachers, outdated materials, and inadequate facilities. These schools often have a higher proportion of students with special educational needs (SEND) and English as an additional language (EAL), groups typically affected by the attainment gap. This creates a vicious cycle that perpetuates the gap.
Parental Involvement: Family support and parental involvement play a critical role in a child’s education. Children with involved parents tend to perform better academically. However, parents facing economic or social challenges may have limited capacity for involvement. These parents often spend long hours working for smaller salaries, leaving less time for their children. This translates into fewer conversations, which are essential for children’s development. Children whose parents spend more time with them usually experience more quality conversations, read more books, and, consequently, develop their language, communication skills, curiosity, and imagination more than children whose parents can’t spend as much time with them.
Cultural and Language Barriers: Students from diverse cultural backgrounds or those with limited English proficiency may encounter challenges in the education system that affect their performance. For example, these children may have a more limited vocabulary and struggle to understand basic words in books or stories. Because learning builds on prior knowledge, these language gaps hinder meaningful learning.
Teacher and Teaching Assistant Expectations: Implicit biases held by educators can impact their expectations for children. When teachers have lower expectations for certain groups of students, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. This is more common than we might think. I have heard other teachers and teaching assistants talk about children and why they cannot perform like others. Phrases like ‘That’s what their siblings were like,’ ‘They’re SEN,’ or ‘It is because of their background‘ are some of the things I have heard many times in different schools.
CONSEQUENCES
The consequences of the attainment gap extend beyond the classroom. They can affect individuals, families, and communities in profound ways. Some of the notable consequences include:
Limited Opportunities: Lower educational attainment can restrict individuals’ access to higher-paying jobs and career advancement opportunities. This limitation isn’t solely due to a lack of qualifications but also because these individuals may lack essential interpersonal and modern-world skills necessary for success.
Income Inequality: The gap in educational achievement contributes to income inequality, perpetuating cycles of poverty. Not much more to say about this. Like it or not, money is an important tool to measure the quality of life, life expectancy, or happiness. I don’t mean that money translates into happiness, but being economically solvent eases the coverage of basic needs, which takes away unnecessary stress and anxiety that lower-income families experience.
Social Mobility: Educational disparities can hinder social mobility, making it challenging for individuals to improve their socio-economic status. As I said above, the attainment gap creates a vicious cycle that is hard to escape from. We, teachers, play a crucial role in supporting our students with this. We can be the trigger that promotes that social mobility. Having high expectations and making a memorable experience of our pupils’ education can be the spark they need to ignite a lifelong passion for learning.
Health Disparities: Lower educational attainment is associated with poorer health outcomes, leading to health disparities among different demographic groups. As we mentioned earlier, financial stability is linked to a better quality of life and health. Furthermore, acquiring higher education can serve as a factor in steering individuals away from unhealthy and harmful habits, such as drug addiction and alcoholism.
Economic Impact: Societies with significant attainment gaps may experience reduced economic growth and productivity.
CLOSING THE GAP
Addressing the attainment gap is a challenge that requires coordinated efforts from educators, policymakers, families, and communities. Some strategies that schools and local authorities can implement to narrow the gap include:
Early Intervention: Offering targeted support and resources to disadvantaged students from an early age can help mitigate the impact of socioeconomic factors. The earlier this support is provided, the narrower the gap will become. It is essential, then, to identify those children as soon as possible. That’s why the following two strategies are key in implementing effective interventions.
Quality Education: Ensuring that all schools, regardless of location, provide high-quality education with experienced teachers and up-to-date resources. Recruitment processes must be fair, and nepotism should not play any role within educational institutions. Having the best professionals will help schools narrow the gap. Similarly, school leaders must be experts in education and vocational training to ensure that effective provision is in place. It is crucial that headteachers and other senior leaders understand the importance of fair recruitment and remove implicit biases when interviewing new candidates. The quality of education increases only when the quality of staff increases as well.
Teacher Training: Educators should receive training to recognise and address implicit biases, ensuring equitable treatment for all students. Changing the mindset of less open-minded educators is crucial if schools aim for high expectations for their students. Understanding the effects of high and low expectations is vital; one notable study on this is the Pygmalion Effect. Another crucial area for teacher training is data analysis to identify children belonging to risk groups.
Parental Engagement: Encouraging parental involvement and support, especially in underserved communities, can significantly improve student outcomes. Schools can organise events to enhance parental support, tailoring some events to the specific demographics of the school, such as religious festivals and other traditions. Efficient communication with parents is crucial, ensuring that messages from the school are easily understood. It’s important to use language that resonates with the parents, avoiding overly sophisticated terms. School leaders and teachers should leverage their social skills to connect with parents, fostering their involvement in their children’s education. This not only benefits the children but also strengthens the entire community.
Data-Driven Approaches: Regularly collecting and analysing data on educational disparities can inform evidence-based policies and interventions. This is not only the responsibility of senior leaders. Teachers must understand this data to provide their students with adequate scaffolding or support. Sometimes, teachers think data analysis has little to do with their day-to-day activities. However, knowing which group each of their students belongs to can help teachers understand the support these children need. Senior leaders must involve teachers in data analysis and train them when needed.
FINAL REFLECTION
As we’ve learned, the attainment gap is a complex issue rooted in socio-economic, cultural, and educational factors. It poses challenges for individuals and society at large. Addressing this gap requires a commitment to equity, access, and opportunities for all students, regardless of their background. Implementing targeted strategies and fostering a culture of inclusivity can help in closing the attainment gap and ensuring that every child has a fair chance to succeed.
However, I believe this gap will never close if governments and institutions don’t take this matter seriously. We, as teachers, school leaders, and local authorities, can help mitigate this gap, but we will eventually need higher institutions to play a crucial role in closing the gap. Nevertheless, I hold the hope that we, as teachers, can play a vital role in changing society.
Mr Sanchez Tutoring 