Poor pupils are nine times more likely to be in ‘inadequate’ secondary schools, study reveals

ENGLAND’S poorest pupils are nine times more likely to be in secondary schools rated ‘inadequate’, an alarming study has found.

The research - which laid bare the deep-seated inequality in England’s education system ahead of Thursday’s GSCEs result - found the most deprived are also half as likely to be in an outstanding school.

The wealthiest students consistently attend outstanding and good schools - with just 2 per cent in schools that are rated inadequate.

The starkest figures were in the South West, where not a single deprived child goes to an outstanding school, according a Labour analysis of Ofsted secondary school inspections.

In the South East, wealthier children are 37 times more likely to go to an outstanding school.

Seven regions fall below the national average of 19 per cent of the most deprived students attending outstanding schools.

Shadow Education Secretary Angela Eagle warned: “No child should be held back from reaching their potential because of their background.

“While the Tories have gifted tax cuts to big businesses, per pupil funding has been cut in real terms. It is the most vulnerable children paying the price for the resulting crisis in our education system.

“The next Labour government will invest in a National Education Service, giving our schools the funding they need to raise standards and improve outcomes, so every child gets the education they deserve, regardless of their background.”