Gap in GCSE results between private and state schools widens at highest level

The gap in GCSE results between private and state schools has widened at the highest grades.

Almost half of entries from private schools scored at least a grade 7 this year, compared to around a fifth of those from both comprehensive schools and academies.

The figures, published by England’s exams regulator Ofqual , have sparked fresh concerns among social mobility experts about inequalities in the education system and widening attainment gaps between rich and poor youngsters.

The data, which covers England only, shows that 48.4% of private school entries scored at least a 7 compared to 19.4% of those from comprehensive schools – a gap of 29 percentage points.

Last year, this gap was 28.2 points – an increase of 0.8 percentage points.

The gap at A/7 grades between private and academies – state schools which are free from local authority control – now stands at 27.2 percentage points compared to 26.5 points in 2023, an increase of 0.7 percentage points.

The figures do show that the gap between private and state schools has narrowed compared to 2019, before the pandemic.

That year, the gap between private and comprehensive schools was 29.3 percentage points, while for private schools and academies it was 27.5 points.

An analysis of Ofqual’s data does show that state schools are closing the gap slightly on their fee-paying counterparts when it comes to entries scoring at least a grade 4.

The gulf between private schools and comprehensives this year at grade 4 and above was 22.4 percentage points, while in 2023 it was 22.5 percentage points.

For private schools and academies, the gap was 21.5 percentage points this year and 21.8 percentage points last year.

These differences are also slightly smaller than they were in 2019.

The persistently stark gap in top GCSE grades between private and state school pupils is sadly a consistent story repeated every academic year

Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said: “The persistently stark gap in top GCSE grades between private and state school pupils is sadly a consistent story repeated every academic year.

“Despite all the talk of equalising opportunities, private school pupils remain twice as likely to be awarded the highest grades compared with their peers in comprehensive state schools – a gap that has widened compared with last year.

“These statistics are a stark reminder of the huge challenges that face a government committed to improving opportunities – what is clear is that we need a new approach: challenging schools to be genuinely inclusive and equitable for all our children, but also addressing the inequalities outside the school gates that have such a profound impact on children’s readiness to learn.”

Sir Peter Lampl, founder of the Sutton Trust charity and founder of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: “It is concerning that the gap in attainment between private and state schools has widened this year.

“This reflects a broader pattern of widening gaps between the most and least well-off young people since the pandemic and cost of living crisis.”

Professor Barnaby Lenon, dean of the faculty of education at the University of Buckingham, warned that the Government’s plants to charge VAT on private school fees from January will make these schools less accessible to families.

He said: “ Children in independent schools did especially well, with 48.4% of their GCSEs graded 7 or above compared to 21.2% in academies (the majority of state schools).

“It is a great pity that the application of VAT is going to make these very good independent schools less accessible.”

Separate figures published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) show that boys are narrowing the gap with their female classmates in terms of top grades.

The data, which covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland shows that nearly one in four (24.7%) of girls’ GCSE entries were awarded at least a grade7/A compared to almost a fifth of boys’ entries (19.0%) – a 5.7 percentage point gap.

This is the narrowest lead enjoyed by girls since 2009, when it was also 5.7 points.

Last year, girls led boys by 5.8 percentage points (24.9% girls, 19.1% boys).

Prof Lenon said: “Boys do significantly worse than girls in most subjects.

“This is because boys are less hard working, less motivated by wanting to please their teachers, and much less mature than girls of the same age.”