The A-level disadvantage gap has narrowed to where it was before the pandemic, but school leaders have said more work is needed to close it.
Data released today by the Department for Education shows that the gap between the average point score (APS) for disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged A-level students in the latest exams was 4.88.
This is slightly down on the gap for 2021-22, which was 5.08.
However, it is exactly the same as the gap in 2018-19, the last year of exams before the pandemic.
Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at the NAHT school leaders’ union, said: “It is striking how similar the gap in attainment between A-level students from better off and more disadvantaged backgrounds remains.
“The disruption caused by Covid presented the government with a golden opportunity not only to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on young people’s learning, but also to show real ambition in attempting to close this worrying and stubborn attainment gap.”
Ms Hannafin added: “However, ministers have failed to grasp the nettle and offer schools and colleges anything like the resources needed.
“The government’s failure to outline a long-term plan for the National Tutoring Programme, for which subsidies end next year, inspires little confidence that this will change any time soon.”
For applied entries, though, while the disadvantage gap in APS is down this year (2.39) compared to last year (2.56), it is higher than in 2018-19, when it was 1.5.
The disadvantage gap is also up for tech levels from 2.4 points in 2018-19 to 2.7 this year.
Regional divides also remain at A level - the South East and London had the highest APS for 2022-23 at 34.95 and 34.86, respectively. The East Midlands had the lowest APS at 32.78.
Positive story ‘at face value’
Education Policy Institute associate director for post-16 and skills Sam Tuckett said the statistics tell a positive story “at face value”.
He added: “Disadvantaged students were just under half a grade per A level behind their non-disadvantaged peers in 2022-23, representing a narrowing of the gap since last year, and since its peak during the pandemic.
“However, in reality, this only means that the gap is back to the 2019 level for A-level students.
“When looking at technical and applied qualifications, which disadvantaged students are relatively more likely to take than A levels, the disadvantage gap is wider now than it was in 2019.
“So while there are some encouraging signs for students taking A levels, when considering all qualifications, disadvantaged students may still be further behind than they were before the pandemic.”
‘Major concern’
The average A-level result for 2022-23 was a B-, up from C+ in 2018-19. The average applied and tech level result was a Merit+, the same as before the pandemic.
All cohorts and institution types saw a lower APS score than last year, which is noted “as expected with the return to pre-pandemic grading”.
The gap between female and male students has decreased compared to last year, though remains similar to before the pandemic. The disadvantage gap this year was slightly higher for female students (5.06) than for male students (4.78).
Sutton Trust and Education Endowment Foundation founder Sir Peter Lampl said the disadvantage gap and regional gaps remaining the same as pre-pandemic “is a major concern, and a waste of potential”.
He added: “This underlines the need to close the attainment gap in schools between well-off and low-income students. All children should have access to high-quality schooling, which should include a fully funded tutoring programme in schools to support lower-income students.”
The DfE has been contacted for comment.
