Leadership

Improving support for Black Caribbean and Free School Meal-Eligible White Boys in London

This new research from LKMco and the Greater London Authority (GLA) looks at how support for white free school meal-eligible and black Caribbean boys across London can be improved. The research suggests teachers in London are biased against black Caribbean and white boys from poorer backgrounds.

The GLA commissioned this research because attainment among London’s most disadvantaged young people lags an average of 12 months behind their more advantaged peers, having an adverse effect on these young Londoners’ life chances. 

Unconscious prejudices affect the way they are disciplined at school, how their work is assessed, and the academic ability set that they are put in, the study found. 

It said black Caribbean boys’ attainment in London is 17 percentage points behind the London average for expected standards in reading, writing and maths by the end of primary school. 

White male pupils eligible for free school meals are the lowest-attaining of the main ethnic groups in the capital — and the attainment gap widens as they move through secondary school. 

The report, which includes interviews with experts, teachers and pupils, calls for teachers and school leaders to be given the training to help minimise the impact of unconscious bias

Two of the largest groups at risk of educational underperformance in London are black Caribbean and free school meal-eligible white boys. 

The study highlights research showing that non-black teachers can have lower expectations of black students and they are more likely to negatively judge pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds

The report calls for more research into the impact of unconscious bias and teachers’ expectations on educational outcomes across London, and the impact it has on disadvantaged groups. 

It also calls for schools, mental health services and youth workers to work together to support the emotional wellbeing of this group of young people. 

Key Actions: 

The report identifies seven key ‘areas for action’, which will help build on excellent work already taking place across the capital in early years settings, schools, post-16 provision, and youth settings. 

These seven areas are: 

  1. Enhancing pupils’ emotional wellbeing and mental health. The emotional wellbeing and mental health of all children and young people – including black Caribbean and white free school meal-eligible boys – should be everyone’s responsibility. This involves raising awareness, skills and capacity to respond among frontline professionals, organisational and sector leaders, families and communities. 
  2. Working with parents and families, involving them in their children’s education. Organisations working with young people should build strong, constructive relationships with parents and families. 
  3. Securing access to high quality early years provision. Disadvantaged and vulnerable families should be supported to take up free, quality childcare provision across London. 
  4. Raising teachers’ expectations and addressing their biases. Greater understanding of teachers’ and school and college leaders’ awareness of unconscious bias, and ways of reducing the impact of biases, is needed. 
  5. Recruiting and retaining a more diverse teaching workforce. Teachers and school leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds need to be recruited and retained in London, as well as supported into leadership roles. 
  6. Enhancing access to work experience opportunities, careers guidance, and support into employment. Young people need support to make informed and ambitious decisions about their futures, and in particular those from disadvantaged backgrounds (including white free school meal-eligible and many black Caribbean boys in London). 
  7. Encouraging peer support among young people. Young people in London should have access to peer support, particularly during the primary and secondary school transition

WEB LINK 

Boys on Track

Keywords 

Support, Black Caribbean, Free School Meal- Eligible, white boys, London, disadvantaged young people, unconscious prejudices