Long-term outcomes of high-achieving disadvantaged children

This project will investigate the long-term social, health, and labour market outcomes of disadvantaged children who were high-achieving at the end of primary school.

Why is this important?

Children from disadvantaged backgrounds who excel academically have the potential to become upwardly socially mobile and obtain the benefits that this brings.  However, many do not fulfil their early potential. There has been long-standing interest in this group but little policy focus since 2010. This research will determine whether there is a case for renewed attention.

What does it involve?

The research team will use four large administrative databases linked to the National Pupil Database and two large longitudinal surveys to answer three research questions:

1. How do the economic, education, health, and crime outcomes of high-achieving children from disadvantaged backgrounds compare to lower-achieving children from more advantaged family backgrounds, through to their mid-twenties? 
2. Do the economic, education, health, and crime outcomes of high-achieving disadvantaged pupils differ between key sub-groups? 
3. To what extent can the difference in outcomes between high-achieving disadvantaged children and other groups be traced back to how they performed in examinations at ages 16 and 18? How do their attitudes, behaviours, and beliefs change during adolescence, and is this related to their outcomes in early adulthood? 

Children will be identified as high-achieving and disadvantaged on the basis of Key Stage 2 scores in English and mathematics at the end of primary school and according to Free School Meal status and a measure of local area disadvantage.

The analysis will compare the outcomes of children according to achievement and socio-economic background and explore whether these have changed over time. Differences in outcomes between boys and girls, white and other ethnic groups, and grammar and non-grammar pupils will be explored. The final stage of analysis will use two longitudinal survey datasets to explore the mechanisms by which high-achieving disadvantaged children may experience different outcomes to other groups, including engagement in risky behaviours and mental health problems.

How will it make a difference?

The findings will inform policymakers, researchers, commentators, and the public about early adult outcomes of high-achieving children from disadvantaged backgrounds. If supported by the research evidence, the intention is to prompt greater policy focus on such young people, influencing national initiatives, evaluations and reviews.