Under-achiement of white working class boys

22 June 2007

Commenting on the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s report on the under-achievement of white working class boys, Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the NUT, Britain’s biggest teachers’ union, said:

“The report highlights a major gap in the support the Government gives youngsters from the toughest backgrounds. Rightly there exists a substantial ethnic majority achievement grant which must remain. But the Government needs to complement this with additional funding targeting the under-achievement of white working class pupils.

“At last the research the Union has been calling on the Government to carry out for many years has been done but by an independent charity. The foundation has identified the impact of social deprivation on all young people’s achievement. Its conclusions are straight forward common sense which should be adopted by the Government.

“The criterion for additional support must be based on a level playing field. Wherever a group of young people needs extra help then they should receive it.”