Hundreds of thousands of children growing up in the north of England are falling behind their southern counterparts because of a stark educational divide, according to research by the office of the children’s commissioner for England.
The statistics show that where in the country a child goes to school has a marked effect on their attainment. Children in major northern cities do markedly worse than those in London or the south-east: in the Thames Valley Berkshire region, where the prime minister, Theresa May, has her constituency, 8% of 11-year-olds reached a higher standard at Key Stage 2, compared to just 3% in Liverpool and 4% in Leeds.
The figures will be published as part of the children’s commissioner Anne Longfield’s ongoing Growing Up North project, looking at how growing up in particular areas impacts on a child’s life chances. The study was launched in December 2015 and will make recommendations later this year to improve children’s lives and bridge the north-south divide. Read more