Regional disparity in education holding back children in Yorkshire - The Yorkshire Post says

The region was at the bottom of the table, alongside the North East, when it came to top grades this year, some 10.2 percentage points below London.

Students in this part of the country were already facing an uphill battle due to existing long-term disadvantages. Add to that learning loss during Covid and failings in the catch-up programme, it exacerbated the attainment gap.

However, children in the region should still be commended for their efforts during what has been a particularly testing time with 22.4 per cent of students achieving a 7/A or above. This was up from 17.8 per cent in 2019, the year before the pandemic. They showed great resilience and focus.

It is also a testament to the hard work of teachers, who have had to deal with widespread disruption brought on by the pandemic.

In parts of this region they had to switch to online lessons without the adequate IT equipment in place to enable students to carry on learning at home. A failure that not only angered many in the education sector but also business leaders.

Despite their best efforts, the fact is that the gap between Yorkshire and London has widened when it comes to attainment.

These unequal outcomes will hold children in the region back, especially with competition for places at universities increasing.

It is not that these children lack the talent but that they are not being given the opportunity to unlock their true potential.

Schools minister Will Quince insists that closing the attainment gap is a “huge priority”. If that is the case then the Department for Education needs to address shortcomings in the education system.