Children who have been referred to social care are twice as likely to fail an English or maths GCSE than their peers, research warns.
Some 53 per cent of young people, who sat their exams between 2019 and 2021 and who had been referred to social care did not achieve at least grade 4 in their English and maths GCSEs compared with 24 per cent of those who had not been subject to a referral, charity Action for Children has found.
The charity has warned that this shows a “worrying” attainment gap, noting that not having a grade 4 - which is classes as a pass - can prevent students from sitting A Levels, continuing to higher education or accessing vocational training courses and jobs.
This is the first time that GCSE results have been analysed for children with a referral to social care, rather than just those who have been supported through the social care system.
