This chapter explores socioeconomic inequality in educational outcomes in England. We
begin by describing the key features of the English education system and highlight the
characteristics of the student population. We explore the educational outcomes of
socioeconomically disadvantaged young people through comparison of a number of different
outcomes during educational careers. We analyze policies introduced or mooted in recent
years to consider the extent to which they are likely to address these challenges successfully.
These include the introduction of “academy” schools, reforms to the school curriculum,
changes to education funding, the potential (re-)growth of academically selective schooling,
increased investment in early years education, and an increased focused on gathering and
disseminating robust evidence on ‘what works’ in educational attainment. Many of these
changes seem unlikely to hold many lessons for other countries wishing to reduce attainment
gaps. However, there are notable exceptions, particularly regarding early years’ education and
improving the evidence base on what practical changes schools can make to promote
attainment among those from disadvantaged backgrounds
