To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, CP1210, how she plans to measure progress towards her target for children to be thriving at school; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of using data on attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers as a core metric for this target.
Answered on
9 January 2025
The Opportunity Mission will break the link between a child’s background and their future success. Driving high and rising standards is at the heart of the department’s vision for all schools, and these standards are crucial in supporting all children and young people to both achieve and thrive. As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education set out in her speech to the Confederation of School Trusts in November 2024, achieving and thriving go hand-in-hand, with children who are healthy and have a sense of belonging at school most likely to achieve well. We are looking at a range of indicators for this and will set out more details. At every stage, improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people, and those with special educational needs and disabilities, will be a priority.