Commenting on new analysis by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) showing that the attainment gap at GCSE for disadvantaged students correlates to lower earnings at age 25, Sarah Hannafin at school leaders' union NAHT, said:

“The stubborn disadvantage gap we see at GCSE may reflect everything from the impacts of poverty and Covid, to a decade of government failure to invest sufficiently in education and services like social care and mental health which can offer vital help to families. 
 
“This is compounded by a curriculum and qualification system which does not do enough to meet the needs of all students and take account of the different contexts and circumstances young people are navigating.
 
“The recognition in the curriculum and assessment review that the curriculum is overloaded, and that GCSE exam volume should be reduced by 10%, is a small but promising step towards better meeting the needs of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with additional needs. 
 
“Removing the restrictions of the EBacc and allowing more breadth and meaningful choice for students, as well as introducing more flexibility around the requirement for endless dispiriting maths and English resits, should also help.
 
“To better assess what students know and can do, however, we would have liked to have seen reintroduction of more non-exam and project-based assessments to better assess what students know and can do, irrespective of their background. There must also be a recognition of the equal value of vocational and technical qualifications for a wide range of students and these must count in performance measures.
 
“It’s also important to remember that while GCSEs are important, they need not define young people’s career prospects, and for many a fulfilling future vocation is about more than just earnings.”