According to a new report, the education system instantly places children in care at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing good schools across England.
This report from a group of MPs noted that there are “a host of indefensible system failings” contributing to this.
As part of this, the MPs commented on the difficulties that children in care may face when trying to access schools that are deemed as “good” or “outstanding” by Ofsted.
The divide is clear when it comes to GCSE results, with only seven per cent of children in care obtaining good grades in their Maths and English GCSEs, compared with 40 per cent of children that are not in care.
It was also noted that children in residential care usually received lower grades than those in foster care.
How can this be resolved?
These issues in the education system run deep, so this is not something that will be resolved overnight.
But, according to the committee, one step that should be taken is to pursue legal action if schools refuse to admit children that are in care.
To bring this into force, the MPs called for the Department of Education to give local councils greater powers to ensure academies onboard looked-after children and hold them accountable if they unfairly disregard applications.
At Almond House, we recognise the importance of providing children with the best possible education, which is why we work with education providers to support the children in our care.
When bearing in mind the unique difficulties that some young people face in the education system, it is vital to encourage a calm, nurturing environment for children to thrive in.
For this reason, our specially trained educators adopt a tailored approach to support the children we work with to help them overcome the obstacles they face.
For support, contact our team today.
