Ministers to set out plans to halve attainment gap in England’s schools

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Geraldine McKelvie and Richard AdamsFebruary 21, 2026 at 11:30 PM

Read Original Article

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

The UK government plans to release a white paper outlining proposals to halve the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their more affluent peers in England's schools. The proposals include changing the criteria for allocating disadvantage funding, potentially shifting away from free school meal eligibility to a broader family income-based assessment. This could redistribute the current £8 billion in annual funding, though an increase is not guaranteed. The white paper will also address local authority involvement in multi-academy trusts and parental engagement expectations. Labour argues the current system has failed to close the attainment gap, while concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of the reforms without additional funding and the potential for regional inequalities.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Liberal Democrats (UK) 50% Munira Wilson 60% Labour Party (UK) ×270% Bridget Phillipson 80% United Kingdom Government 80% United Kingdom ×290%

Keywords

attainment gap 100% disadvantaged students 90% school funding 80% free school meals 70% schools white paper 60% family income 50% pupil premium 50% educational inequality 40%