Sewell Warns Starmer on White Working-Class Boys

0:00On March 21, Lorde Sewell, who led a key government report on race and ethnic disparities five years ago, plans to warn Prime Minister Keir Starmer. That is administration is not doing enough to help white working class boys in school. The commission, set up by Boris Johnson after the Black Lives Matter protests in 2021, looked into inequality across Britain. That original review highlighted how pupils from groups like Chinese, Indian, and Bangladesh's backgrounds often outperform white students, especially those from poorer homes. Sue will urge focus on the challenges facing white working class kids back then, pointing out their low achievement rates. Since the report came out, little has improved, according to recent data. Critics say warnings about class and family issues got overlooked amid debates on race. Now, organizations like the Center for Social Justice are pushing the same points again. The latest figures show only about one-third of white pupils eligible for free school meals,

1:00passing the basic grades in GCSE, English, and Maths. That's far below rates for other disadvantaged groups, like over 80% for Chinese pupils, and nearly 70% for Bangladesh-y ones. Government stats confirm white working class students lag in nearly all of England's more than 3,400 secondary schools. This week, the Center for Social Justice hosting event in Westminster for the report's fifth anniversary, where Sue will stress that family. Stability and expectations matter more than ethnicity for kids' success. The gap remains wide, calling for real action on education for those left behind.