Children on FSM less likely to go onto higher education

Data from the Department for Education – for the 2021 to 2022 school year – shows that 33.1 per cent of children in Bradford receiving free school meals aged 15 were in higher education at 19.

By comparison, the figure was 47.5 per cent among their peers.

Bradford children on free school meals are less likely to go onto higher education (Image: PA)

However, this divide shrunk from the year before, when 30.8 per cent of the area's poorest children went on to attend higher education, compared to 46.8 per cent for the rest of their cohort.

Bradford Council welcomed the shrink in the divide but said there is no room for complacency. 

Across England, more children on free school meals are going on to universities and other institutions – but the number has been increasing at a slower rate than for their peers.

As a result, the gap in higher education enrolment is at its highest level on record – at 20.2 per cent.

'We need to make sure children on free school meals are getting the same access'

Tom Bright, the Bradford branch secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Children on free school meals are disadvantaged by many different factors, whether that be not being able to go on trips, getting bullied for wearing last year’s uniform, and it can hold them back.

“Every educator is actively aware of the disadvantaged children in every class and monitors the progress of these children and reports back to see how they are doing and how they are helping those who are most disadvantaged."

He added that teachers take every child's circumstances into consideration. 

“We need to make sure children on free school meals are getting the same access as their peers so they go on to higher education," Mr Bright added. 

Despite a small increase in attendance among the least well-off, a significant gap also exists when it comes to high-tariff higher education providers – those that require the best grades to attend.

Across England, most children are almost three times as likely to enrol in a top institution as those who have previously received free school meals.

In Bradford, 3.5 per cent of the most disadvantaged children were attending a high tariff provider aged 19 – compared to 10.6 per cent for the rest of their cohort, and the largest gap on record.

Bradford Council said work is ongoing to support people into higher education, whatever their socio-economic background. 

'No room for complacency'

Councillor Imran Khan, the local authority's portfolio holder for education, employment and skills, said: "We want all our young people to be able to reach their full potential and achieve their ambitions, whatever their background.

“We work with a range of partners to support young people from differing socio-economic backgrounds to understand the benefits of, and options for, higher education.

"Among those we work with are Go Higher West Yorkshire, the University of Cambridge and the University of Bradford alongside the Social Mobility Foundation which provides a range of differing support including careers information advice, mentoring, learning programmes that offer UCAS points, visits and additional experience to access higher education."

Cllr Khan added: “It is encouraging to see that the proportion of children on free school meals going on to higher education has risen in Bradford district but we are by no means complacent and will continue to work hard to raise the aspirations of our young people and support them to overcome any barriers they may face in achieving their goals.”

'The root causes need to be tackled'

Natalie Perera, chief executive of the Education Policy Institute think tank, said disparities start long before young people leave school.

"We have already recommended that the Government should extend the pupil premium to disadvantaged students in post-16 education, underpinned by a cross-Government child poverty strategy to tackle the root causes behind rising inequalities," she said.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "A greater proportion of free school meal-eligible pupils are going on to higher education than ever before.

"There is always more work to be done, and we are continuing to work with the Office for Students to make sure the brightest pupils from every walk of life are supported to earn places at our world-class universities," they added.