Ethnic minorities and attainment: the effects of poverty

The lower educational achievement of White working class pupils in comparison with children from other ethnic backgrounds with similar socio-economic status continues to attract attention. This report, commissioned by the Department for Education, provides a review of the evidence. It explores why pupils in some ethnic groups appear to be more resilient to the pressures of poverty on educational attainment, compared with White British pupils. The review also considers what can be learned from steps taken to boost attainment among pupils from ethnic minority groups, and the extent to which such strategies may be applicable to White working class pupils.