Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Social Mobility Commission's report: Time for Change: an assessment of government policies on social mobility 1997-2017, what steps her Department plans to take to reduce the attainment gap identified between disadvantaged young people and other students at A level or equivalent.

The Government welcomes the Commission’s report, which considers efforts to improve social mobility over the last twenty years. The Commission rightly concludes that too often life chances can be determined not by effort and ability, but by where you come from, who your parents are and which school you attend.

Educational achievement is at the heart of this Government’s commitment to make ours a meritocratic country. This is why we invested around £552m on disadvantaged learners aged 16-19 in 2016-17, on top of standard funding rates.

The attainment gap between those eligible and those not eligible for Free School Meals at age 15 achieving level 3 by age 19 has decreased from 26.4% in 2005 to 24.5% in 2016, but we know there is more to do. The department is pursuing a range of policies aimed at benefiting disadvantaged learners. Improvements in the delivery of high-quality basic skills and careers advice benefit disadvantaged learners by ensuring they have the qualifications, support and experience needed to get on in life, and have access to clear advice on their options. Funding uplifts support apprentices from disadvantaged areas, care leavers and those with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Traineeships, programmes combining pre-employment training, work experience and English and maths are available for young people aged 16-24 (and for young people with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan up to academic age 25) who are within six months of being ready to enter the labour market.

Latest data shows that there were 24,100 traineeship starts in the 15/16 academic year (14,700 aged 16-18 and 9,400 aged 19-24). Supported internships can be life-changing opportunities for young people with a SEN statement or EHC plan aged 16-24 who need more help to move from education into employment.