Trust chief executive Sir Hamid Patel and Estelle Morris, a former education secretary, will lead a year-long inquiry into the education outcomes of white working-class children.
Contrary to reports in national newspapers, the inquiry has not been ordered by Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, although Sir Kevan Collins, the school standards tsar, will be involved as a board member.
The inquiry will be run by consultants Public First and Patel’s Star Academies trust.
Funding for the project will come from private philanthropy, raised by Patel.
In a statement sent to national newspapers at the weekend, Phillipson said white working-class children had “been betrayed – left behind in society’s rear-view mirror.
“They are children whose interests too many politicians have simply discarded. That’s why I have tasked my officials with bearing down on this scandal.”
Government data published on Monday showed just 21 secondary schools in which disadvantaged white British pupils had a Progress 8 score greater than zero. This was based only on schools where more than 20 per cent of GCSE pupils came from white working-class families.
“We’ll look closely at what’s working in the tiny number of schools that the data indicates may have cracked this problem,” Phillipson said, “alongside evidence that will be gathered by a new independent inquiry.”
Contrary to reports, David Blunkett, a former education secretary, will not be on the panel.
It will be called the ‘Independent Inquiry into White Working Class Educational Outcomes’. But no further details have been announced.
“The data shows a clear picture,” Phillipson said. “Across attendance, attainment and life chances, white working-class children and those with SEND do exceptionally poorly.”
Of the 1,228 secondaries with more than 20 per cent white working-class pupils taking GCSEs, 1,061 (86 per cent) had a Progress 8 score for those youngsters of -0.5 or worse.
The 21 schools with a score of 0.5 or better made up just 1.7 per cent of the institutions. The rest had a Progress 8 score of between 0 and -0.5.
Phillipson added: “My message to parents is that we will create a school system where every child, in every classroom, has the support they need to achieve, and a fair crack at making a success of their life.”
National newspapers said the move has been seen as an attempt to take on Nigel Farage’s Reform party.
It is not the first inquiry into the issue. The education committee ran an inquiry in 2014 and again in 2021.
The latter concluded white working class pupils had been let down after decades of neglect.
I wonder if there are any teachers on the panel re white working class boys? Talk to any high school teacher and any number of parents and they will tell you that the reason these children are disenfranchised is because the curriculum is too academic. The practical subjects at which many excel or at least enjoy are no longer taught. There is no opportunity for 16-18 year-olds to learn practical skills and apprenticeships are few and far between because they have never been funded properly.