Poor white boys offered intensive training to boost GCSE chances

POOR white boys who lag behind every other social group are being offered intensive training courses to boost their GCSE chances.

A programme in Ipswich run by Barclays and the Transformation Trust is running sessions in the most deprived black spots around the country.

Experts offer six all day sessions to help white working class 14 and 15-year-olds who are statistically more likely to get the worst GCSE results, and the least likely to go to university and find jobs after leaving school.

Teachers in Oldham reported boys in the programme were on track to secure exam grades up to two grades higher than expected after being helped with their confidence via mentoring and work experience as well as practical skills like writing a CV.

Ben, 15, from Hadleigh High School in Suffolk, told the FT he initially doubted the programme was worthwhile.

But he said: “It’s changed how I think about myself because they try to show you what’s good about you and try to highlight that.”

Kirstie Mackey, director of citizenship and consumer affairs for Barclays UK, said the company wanted to build a “tailored programme” that would give youngsters “ inspiration and insight into the world of work”.

Lee Elliot Major, chief executive of the educational charity The Sutton Trust, said life skills were as important as a child’s academic performance.

He added: “The problem is we have very little evidence of what programmes work.”

Researchers will also monitor six boys who did not take part in the programme to compare their progress.