Barnet Council is implementing a multi-faceted strategy to address the persistent attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils, particularly focusing on Black Caribbean and mixed White and Black Caribbean students.
Despite overall improvements in attainment for disadvantaged pupils in Barnet, which now surpass the national average, a gap remains. To understand and tackle this issue, officers have conducted a research project visiting nine schools across the borough. These visits involved discussions with school leaders and pupils to examine factors influencing engagement, curriculum visibility, and the intersectionality with pupils eligible for free school meals (PP) and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
During these school visits, key factors contributing to the attainment gap were identified. These included the achievement, engagement, and overall experience of Black Caribbean and mixed White and Black Caribbean pupils within Barnet schools. The research also delved into the intersectionality of these pupils with those eligible for free school meals (PP) and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), alongside examining attendance and the visibility of these students within the curriculum. Crucially, the pupil voice
was gathered from both high-achieving students and those facing academic or settling-in challenges.
Councillor Anne Hutton highlighted the importance of granular data, requesting specific breakdowns for phonics and early years data to pinpoint when disparities emerge. Data available at the time of the report indicated that over the last two to three years, Black pupils, generally, have been falling behind comparatively, even by early years, suggesting that disparities are present from the earliest stages of education.
Supplementary reports will be circulated with data for children looked after, children in need, and children on child protection plans, with this data expected to be available in April or May.
A conference is scheduled for July to further explore strategies for raising Black achievement. This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure Barnet's schools, all of which have achieved an Ofsted rating of 'expected standard' or above, continue to strive for excellence.
The July conference is in the early stages of planning, with proposed ideas and contacts including liaising with Black Men Teach to raise attainment, exploring the work of Art Against Knives, and identifying students who have been on the journey through primary, secondary, and post-16 education to understand their experiences. There is also a long-term ambition to collaborate with Middlesex University's widening participation agenda to address underachievement in this cohort.
Educational Standards in Barnet 2025 Cover Report Appendix A - Summary of Educational Standards in Barnet 2024-25 FINAL Agenda frontsheet 12th-Mar-2026 19.00 Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee Minutes of the previous meeting
