White working-class pupils written off by society, admits Education Secretary

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson highlighted that white working-class children in Britain are being "written off" by society. She called it a "national disgrace" that many are unable to achieve the necessary exam results for university.

In response, the government plans interventions, including publishing performance data and using artificial intelligence to identify struggling schools. Last year, only 18.6% of free school meal-eligible white British pupils achieved at least a grade 5 in English and Maths, compared to 45.9% of all state school students.

Phillipson warned that persistent school absences could lead to long-term disengagement from society and employment issues. The upcoming white paper aims to address these challenges and support white working-class students.