‘Huge waste of talent’ as bright, disadvantaged teenagers ‘lag behind’

BRIGHT, disadvantaged teenagers in Scotland are about two years and seven months behind their well-off classmates in science and maths, while in reading they are about two years and two months of schooling behind.

A study has also revealed that the gap is even bigger among clever girls alone, with disadvantaged young women around three years behind in reading and science.

The Sutton Trust, which published the study, said it was “staggering” these youngsters are so far behind, warning it is a “huge waste of talent”.

The study uses the latest results from international PISA tests to examine the performance of 10% of the most able pupils in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, taking into account their background.

In Wales, the gulf between rich and poor clever children is just under two years in each of the three subjects, while in Northern Ireland it is around two years in reading, and just over this in science and maths.

It adds: “There has been no improvement in the reading, science and mathematics skills of the highest-achieving pupils across the UK since 2006, including those from disadvantaged social backgrounds. In some parts of the UK (Wales and Northern Ireland) there have been falls in some subjects (science).

“The situation for high-achieving pupils across the UK has therefore been stagnant at best.”

Sutton Trust chairman Sir Peter Lampl, said: “It is staggering that at age 16 bright but poor pupils lag behind their rich classmates by almost three years.

“This results in a huge waste of talent which is why we at the Sutton Trust are calling on government to establish a highly able fund.

“High potential pupils would be monitored and given specific support.

“This would improve social mobility at the top by widening access to leading universities and to top jobs.”