Involving parents more in education would help to narrow the attainment gap, Schools Minister Jim Knight told the Fabian South-West conference in Bournemouth.

Speakers: Jim Knight MP, Howard Stoate MP, Jessica Asato, Patrick Diamond, Sunder Katwala, Stephen Twigg.

Narrowing the Gap in education

I'm delighted to have the opportunity today to debate with you the importance of narrowing the gaps within education.

Minding the gap is something every London traveller is familiar with. But the concept of the attainment gap is becoming increasingly important within education as we strive to ensure that every child has an equal chance to fulfil their potential and a fair shot at success.

Today I want to reflect on what we mean by the attainment gap, the progress we have made in recent years, and where we need to focus our attention next.

I want to be clear from the outset that our prime objective is closing the gap between those from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Because it's socio-economic status that has the biggest influence on performance.

Many of you will be familiar with Leon Feinstein's research, but let me remind you of a few of his most striking findings.

Children from low socio-economic groups who achieve highly at aged 22 months lose that early advantage, and are quickly overtaken by children from more affluent backgrounds who scored poorly at aged 22 months.

Once the effects of class kick in, they make a real difference, boosting some children and discarding others.

Ethnicity also plays a part for some children. While some ethnic groups do very well – Chinese and Indians among them - others struggle, as do some white children.

And finally, gender is the other factor – interacting with and compounding other forms of disadvantage.

This matters because education is the most powerful weapon we have at our disposal to reduce social inequalities. To offer each child the chance to make the best of themselves.

There is a strong link between attainment and employment, earnings – and less obviously perhaps, to better health and social outcomes. For children who grow up in poverty, education is a leg up to a better life.

Prosperous Chinese girls aren't born cleverer than poor white boys - but that is what the statistics would have us believe.

You can debate the nature vs. nurture aspects of those statistics until the cows come home. But ultimately, they are a red herring. We have a profound moral obligation to ensure that every child has a chance to reach their potential.

Too often, factors beyond the control of these children conspire against them. Social, economic and family circumstances don't determine individual progress, but they do have a strong influence.

It is our task to weaken the hold of malign forces, while making more of positive influences like good parenting. So that individual talent, determination and effort can become the defining force behind achievement.

This is reflected in our departmental objectives – both to raise standards for all, and to narrow the gaps in achievement.

So what has been our record in narrowing these gaps?

Firstly, it's important to remember that the attainment gap hasn't significantly widened. Standards are rising for all – irrespective of their parents' background.

To raise standards without widening the attainment gap from different backgrounds is a real challenge. But for several groups, we have made progress in narrowing the gaps.

For example, the proportion of pupils in London getting 5 good GCSEs has gone up by 22 percentage points since 2001. In fact, London schools as a whole outperform the national average for the proportion of pupils getting 5 good GCSEs including English and Maths. And the gap between pupils on free school meals and their peers has narrowed faster than average in the city.

Similarly, since 2003, the proportion of Black Caribbean pupils achieving five good GCSEs has risen by 11 percentage points – almost double the national average. And Bangladeshi pupils have all but closed the gap at GCSE.

This can be attributed both to our overall drive to help those from economically disadvantaged background and to targeted programmes like Aiming High.

And finally, we have made real progress in narrowing the gap between high performing and worse performing schools. The proportion of pupils in the most deprived schools getting five good GCSEs has gone up by 23 per cent, compared with 4 per cent in the least deprived. This is mostly because of our zero-tolerance to failure – with much more rapid and radical action when we spot the warning signs of weakness.

Special measures are incredibly effective in turning around poor schools – often because new leadership offers an entirely fresh perspective and vigour, a determination to put things right alongside the practical know-how and experience.

But the fact that the gaps aren't widening can't be an excuse for inaction. We need to be much more robust in attacking these gaps, because significant divides remain.

Although we have narrowed the gaps between schools with different intakes, we have been less successful at narrowing the gaps between individual pupils.

So within schools that are doing better, there are still pupils who are being left behind. And it's the most disadvantaged who are mostly likely to miss out. We haven't been successful at significantly narrowing the gaps between children on free school meals and their more affluent peers. The gap faced by gypsy or roma children is similarly stubborn.

Meanwhile, the underachievement of looked after children is an ugly stain on our education system which has a devastating impact on their individual prospects. Only just over 1 in 10 gets five good GCSEs. Only 1 in 20 goes to university. Meanwhile, 1 in 4 people in prison have spent some time in care.

But before I go on to talk about how we can address this I want to add some shading to the picture I have painted.

I said at the start that I wanted to talk about individuals, and I want to stick to that. Our task is to be guided by the statistics, not blinded by them. Every child is an individual, not defined by the categories that they belong to.

So being a white working class boy doesn't doom someone to failure. Despite all the potential obstacles in their way, a quarter still get five good GCSEs.

And for every disadvantaged child who gets extra support, there's another lying just above the threshold who is struggling to keep their head above water.

Furthermore, of course, circumstances change. Children often make bumpy rather than linear progress – sometimes doing well but sometimes falling behind.

So teachers aren't doctors who can provide a relatively straightforward diagnosis and prescription.

You can't simply say "this child is a boy, so give them a computer and they'll be more engaged." Engaging boys is not as easy as relying on "fighting and football" or "machines and motorbikes". This traps them in a limited curriculum which only entrenches stereotypes. While we need to pay particular attention to disadvantaged children, we can't dismiss others as being well-off and assume they won't ever need extra support. We have to be vastly more sophisticated.

Children are real people, with real lives - complex, sometimes messy lives. They don't respond automatically to any given intervention, but need a sensitive, well-rounded education which meets their own particular needs and recognises that there is life beyond the school gate as well.

So how can we turn our understanding of the problems and our past experiences into real strides in narrowing these gaps? What should we be doing more of, and what should we be doing differently?

Firstly, there are some things we can do at school level which will make a difference for everybody, but particularly engage and inspire those who might otherwise miss out.

Making every school a good school means including every pupil in a culture of high expectations, which every teacher asserts, every parent endorses and every pupil understands.

A culture endorsed by the whole community which respects and values achievement. So students aspire to lasting success through fulfilling careers, rather than fleeting fame on trashy television.

Then of course, narrowing the gaps depends on the teaching and learning that goes on in the classroom.

For example, some of the explanation for the relatively poor performance of white working class boys at GCSE is that they don't learn to read effectively early on. So they are never really able to engage in subjects which require high-level language skills like History.

That's why the systematic introduction of phonics is so important because it will give every child the skills they need to learn to read. Also important is the Every Child a Reader programme which offers targeted support to those who start to fall behind.

Together, these programmes will not only ensure that every child learns to read, but ensures they have the skills to succeed in other subjects.

And our recent stress on personalised learning will make the most difference to those at risk of falling behind.

Despite the undoubted success of initiatives which target areas or groups, like London Challenge or Aiming High, there are still pupils who are missed by these broad brushstrokes.

That's where personalised learning will prove so critical – ensuring that every child has the support they need to progress. And the more intensive support on offer, including one-to-one tuition and catch-up lessons will make the most difference for disadvantaged children.

One of the most powerful weapons in reducing attainment gaps is also one of the most overlooked. Pupil-level data is hardly the most sexy of subjects, but it offers a much deeper understanding of individual and group performance.

In fact, more effective use of data is one of the factors which has been critical to the success of London Challenge.

Families of schools with similar intakes and circumstances are matched up, and their relative progress mapped.

This demonstrates in a very powerful way that within each family – no matter how challenging the circumstances – there are schools which are able to break the links between deprivation and underperformance.

Not only does this challenge the other schools to raise their game, it also shows them how to achieve it – as they can learn from these excellent schools.

Teachers in successful London Challenge schools always say that tracking pupil progress is essential to promoting achievement.

While teachers are increasingly open to the value of better data we need to ensure that they are using it to greatest effect. That they have a rounded understanding of a child's progress – for example, recognising they may be struggling with reading so they can tailor the lesson accordingly.

And that they use data not only to think about what a child has already achieved, but what needs to be done next.

The progression pilots will help with this way of thinking by embedding assessment for learning within classrooms.

Ensuring that assessment offers a developing picture rather than a basic snapshot and acts a spur to further achievement rather the be-all and end all.

There should be no point where a teacher or a pupil thinks "that's it, we've done it now". Rather, they should always be looking to further improve and build on success.

Changing classroom practice is only one way of tackling the gap. Children – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds - also need help to develop the social and emotional skills that are essential to making the most of education.

In some cases, they need to "learn how to learn." That's why we've introduced initiatives like the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning programme which helps children to develop skills like empathy, problem solving and conflict resolution. SEAL is proving very popular and already around half of primary schools chosen to begin using it. It will be launched in secondary schools in September.

More broadly, trying to drive up standards without Every Child Matters is like trying to drive a car without an engine. Success in school depends on your experiences before and outside of school.

That knowledge lies behind our unprecedented investment into the early years - in order that we can both close the gaps that open up before children get to school, and prepare them effectively for their school careers.

Take up of the free nursery education entitlement for three and four year olds has been overwhelming. Parents now expect their free nursery place in the same way that they expect to send their child to school aged five.

But the take-up of childcare beyond the free entitlement is more uneven. There is much more to do in terms of outreach, so that families which would most benefit are able to access the support they need.

That's why ensuring there is a children's centre for every community, offering services tailored to the needs of that community, is so important.

Equally important is the new Early Years Foundation Stage. Alongside investment to strengthen the workforce, this will help guarantee the highest quality for our youngest children, ensuring early gains are sustained into their school careers.

We all recognise that pupils often need additional support to break down the barriers which prevent them learning. Extended schools bring different professionals and services together in schools – where it's easy and convenient for families to access them. 1 in 6 schools now offers these extended services, redefining what it means to serve a community.

Many of the opportunities on offer in extended schools – whether aimed at boosting achievement through intensive study support, or at developing social skills and confidence through sporting or drama – have always been available to more affluent families, because they can afford them. Extended schools simply open those opportunities up to all.

And they work. Last year, results for eleven and sixteen year olds attending full service extended schools were improving at around double the national average.

Finally, narrowing the gap depends on involving parents in education to a greater degree than ever before.

Parents not only offer encouragement, they also act as role models. If children feel their parents value education, and link it with having fun at home, they are more likely to try hard and do well.

EPPE research shows that the home learning environment – things like parents reading to their children – is one of the two most important influences over achievement, more important than the factors I've talked about so far this afternoon.

Ultimately, it's what parents do, not what they earn, that matters. So we cannot continue to squander this incredible and often untapped resource.

But some parents may not have enjoyed school. They lack confidence in approaching teachers or in helping out with school work.

And while they don't want interference, they do sometimes want advice. We need to make sure that appropriate, comprehensive support is on offer to support them.

This will ensure they have the confidence and skills to become active partners in education. In turn, this will empower them to support their children more effectively.

So we have set up a network of parent support advisors across more than 600 schools whose raison d'être is to reach out to those parents who would otherwise hang back.

Extended schools too seek to get parents more involved – inviting them to homework clubs, giving them new skills and confidence in subjects like IT, and providing specialist advice and guidance.

I want to see all schools reaching the standard of the best – following the lead of those who are using innovative ideas and technologies to engage with parents.

In the next few weeks, the department will publish a document which will outline all our existing work with parents – within and outside of schools – and think about how we can fill the gaps and improve the provision on offer.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that narrowing the attainment gap is probably one of the greatest challenges facing us in education.

Headlines scream about the underachievement of boys every exam season. But as we have seen, the problems are vastly more complex than that. And although we can't be complacent, we shouldn't be despondent either.

By reshaping our education system so it is more tailored to the individual, and reinforcing this with comprehensive and intensive support where needed, we can truly deliver higher standards and better schools for all.

Armed with the data and the strategies I've outlined, I'm confident we can make significant inroads into the attainment gap. We can emulate the experience of countries like Canada or Finland who demonstrate that it is possible to have both high achievement and high levels of equity across that achievement.

History is littered with examples of children from disadvantaged backgrounds who struggled against the odds and achieved incredible things – from Charles Dickens to Ramsay McDonald and John Lennon. Our task is to reduce those odds - giving everyone a fair start in life.

If we can get it right, the rewards will be profound. We can transform individual lives. Destroy the links between a child's past and their prospects. Ensure that every child has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. So this is a problem well worth struggling with. Thank you very much.

Schools Minister Jim Knight was speaking to the Fabian South-West regional conference in Bournemouth on Saturday 10th March 2007.