Closing looked-after pupils’ educational attainment gap

THE GCSE attainment gap among looked-after children in Wales has narrowed by 6%, according to Education Secretary Kirsty Williams, who has set out further steps to help them.

In 2016 23% of looked-after children achieved the equivalent of five GCSEs at grade A*–C in English or Welsh first language and mathematics, a six percentage points increase on 2015.

The Welsh Government has worked with Cardiff University to create a new online hub to share information and resources focusing on children in care to help improve their educational outcomes.

The Education Secretary will now look at the training available to schools and further education colleges with a responsibility for looked-after children.

Local authorities will also be asked to review roles of key workers with a responsibility for looked-after children.

Work will also be carried out with charities and voluntary and community groups to consider better ways of supporting children who are difficult to engage in education, and better use will be made of available data about lookedafter children.

The commitments follow the announcement that the Pupil Development Grant will be extended to provide support to three-year-old looked-after children during their early years in school, as part of more than £90m this year to help disadvantaged pupils.

Ms Williams said: “Looked-after children must have the same opportunities as their peers. We have seen an excellent improvement in the GCSE results of those in care and we have committed more funding to build on this, but I want to go further.

“Children often enter care come from a background of family crisis or breakdown. While we cannot change their personal experiences, we will continue to support them through their education and prepare them for adulthood.”