In the second part of her blog on school admissions, our Senior Schools Engagement Manager, Charlotte O’Regan, draws on our new research on school admissions to reiterate why reform of the admissions system is so important.

In October, the Sutton Trust issued a call to action for school leaders. We need to make school admissions fairer so that more children from lower income families have access to the top-performing schools.  

New research published by the Sutton Trust today only serves to highlight that this work is more important than ever. The headline remains the same – if you qualify for Free School Meals you are less likely than your advantaged peers to attend a top performing comprehensive even if there is one in your local area. Even more alarmingly, some measures indicate a possible widening of the gap.  

The educational landscape has changed considerably since 2016. Levels of deprivation have increased and the average proportion of children eligible for FSM in comprehensives schools is now at 22%. Simultaneously, greater numbers of schools now belong to Multi Academy Trusts than previously, and we have more Free schools than ever before. Schools have lived through and supported the nation’s children through a pandemic and a subsequent cost of living crisis. The pressures of working in education have been unrelenting in recent years. But despite this, the problem of unfair admissions cannot be left unchallenged, it will not go away without proactive and deliberate actions.  

I have spent the last few months talking with school and trust leaders across the country about this, so I speak with confidence when I say that I know there are many schools and MATs that are committed to serving a truly comprehensive cohort. Reach Academy Feltham is a wonderful example of proactive and deliberate leadership to ensure that their highly successful school serves their whole community. They introduced a pupil premium priority quota to their admissions policy following a changing housing market in the community the school serves. This policy change has ensured that all families have a fair opportunity to access this outstanding school.  

Trusts like Education 21st Century and CORE Trust have generously given their time to help us understand the context in which they are running their schools. Leaders from incredible schools such as Q3 Langley and Swanlea have been helping us to understand how schools can best support pupils from all socio-economic backgrounds.  

Parents are also driving change in school admissions. Class Divide are an inspirational organisation who are campaigning for city-wide change to admissions policies in Brighton and Hove. They have successfully worked towards a Local Authority consultation to include children eligible for Free School Meals as a priority group in over-subscription criteria, up to the average proportion in the city.  

The message is clear. There is a thirst for change.  

In my last blog on this issue, I pointed out that unlike many other aspects of running a school, this is a challenge that school leaders can absolutely do something about. Our report outlines some of the steps schools can take.  

In the first instance, school leaders, including Governors should look to carry out an annual fair access review of their new year 7 intake. Being aware of whether a school is socially selective is the first step in addressing the issue. For those looking to create more socially mixed schools there are a range of approaches to achieve this, including pupil premium priority, banding and balloting all of which are explained in more detail in our policy recommendations. Finally, schools should look to reduce the cost of attending their school and advertise this as part of their pupil recruitment campaigns. Sutton Trust’s research Parent Power identified that parents from low-income households are disproportionately impacted by perceived costs related to attending a school when making their secondary school choices. Examples of this might include reducing the number of branded items in a uniform or committing to subsidising the cost of extra-curricular activities for children eligible for Free School Meals.  

The Sutton Trust is committed to this too. On 27th February we will be hosting a webinar to bring together all the research and findings we have on the topic of school admissions. It will be an ideal starting point for schools looking to make changes to their admissions policies or those who just want to know more. You can also sign up for our School Admissions Mailing list to find out more about our future work or to contribute to our growing body of knowledge.  

I know that we can build an education system that better serves children from all socio-economic backgrounds. Be part of the change and join us on this journey.