There is a clear north-south divide in education: children who live in the north of England are more likely to live in poverty and be absent from school, both of which are correlated with lower educational achievement.
This is according to a recent report published in 2021 called ‘Child of the North‘.
Child of the North: Key Findings
- 27% of children who live in the North of England live in poverty compared to only 20% in the rest of England.
- Only 14% received four or more pieces of offline schoolwork during lockdown compared to 20% in the rest of England.
- Sure Start funding was cut harder in the North. Funding was cut by £412 per eligible child in the north, compared to £283 per child in the rest of England.
- The report estimates that the cost of lost learning to children of the North will be equivalent to £24.6 billion in lost wages over the course of their lifetimes.
Child of the North: Recommendations
The report makes 18 distinct policy recommendations. Taken together they represent a multi-agency approach which doesn’t just focus on schools.
The report recommends the government needs to invest in child health care and welfare services as well as education, focussing on early years care. This is the most effective way to make sure children are well fed and get a decent foundation before starting school.
The report is also a big supporter of schemes such as Sure Start.
Relevance to A-level Sociology
This report reminds us that social class inequalities remain today, and that there is a regional dimension to them.
The report supports the kind of education policies that New Labour introduced, such as Sure Start.
