The forgotten

A Commons education committee report looks at access to higher education for white working-class pupils

Seven years ago, the House of Commons education committee concluded that “white working-class underachievement in education is real and persistent”. The cross-party group of MPs called on the government—at that point a coalition between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats—to “take steps” to improve this.

At 10pm yesterday, the committee—much changed in its membership since 2014, of course—published a fresh report called The Forgotten: How White Working-Class Pupils Have Been Let Down, and How to Change It. From the title, it is clear that, several governments later, the committee feels that its previous warning has not yet been heeded.