Children in the North of England are 'falling behind'

The new Education Secretary is being urged to prioritise improving schools in the North of England after research suggested that too many disadvantaged children are falling behind.

A report by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) found poorer pupils in the region end up scoring one grade lower than their better-off peers when taking GCSEs.

Although primary schools in the North only perform slightly worse than those in London, this gap widens in secondary school.

The NPP says this disparity is leading to a serious skill shortage for employers.

Collette Roche, who led its review, said: "This report should act as a wake-up call to everyone involved in education and skills in realising how far the North is behind the rest of the UK and where we need to get to.

"The devastating consequences of disadvantage in the North is fully set out, as is just how far our children from all backgrounds fall behind by the age of 16.

"These critical issues lead to employers not having a highly skilled workforce, which is vital for increasing productivity and growth across the North."

The NPP is urging businesses to mentor at least as many northern children as they have employees in the region, and believes such an initiative could benefit 900,000 young people.

In a statement, the Department for Education said its standards are rising: "We want all pupils to benefit from a world class education that inspires them to make the most of their lives, no matter where they live or their background.

"That's why we launched our Social Mobility Action Plan which sets out a range of actions including targeting the areas that need the most support through the £72m Opportunity Areas programme and our recent investment in literacy to help every child arrive at school with the vocabulary levels they need to learn."