“One of the most inspiring things truly great teachers and schools do is instil in children the ‘have a go’ confidence that their more privileged peers naturally pick up…”
Gaps in attainment between high-attaining students and their more affluent peers notably accelerate at secondary school, with these students falling behind their more privileged peers during these years. High potential identified in young people in primary school is not necessarily carried through to age 16 and beyond with research showing these students are three times more likely to fall out of the top third of attainers by GCSE (Sutton Trust, 2023).
Underachievement at GCSE is likely to hold students back even further through post-16 education and beyond, when they are competing against peers from more affluent backgrounds for university places and graduate jobs. Access to the most competitive universities remains starkly unequal as research shows students from the most advantaged backgrounds are currently over six times as likely to attend one of the most selective universities (Sutton Trust, 2017). This gap persists even when students have the required grades, showing that even for those showing academic potential at a young age, the playing field is not level.
Higher education remains the single biggest driver of social mobility in the UK. Graduates earn significantly more than non-graduates –by age 31, graduates earn on average 37% more than those who did not attend university (Universities UK, 2024). Going to university is the most powerful single tool to boost the life chances of many young people.
Success in higher education and beyond is not determined by academic ability alone. Cultural capital – exposure to experiences, networks and knowledge – plays a critical role in social mobility. We want to offer our students the enrichment activities and opportunities that broaden their horizons and raise their aspirations. This matters because “you’ve got to see it, to be it” and students need to experience opportunities to believe they are attainable.
Another key factor in helping more able students reach their full potential is self-efficacy; the belief that “I can succeed.” Research shows 36% of secondary students do not feel confident about their next steps in education and training, and pupils in state schools report lower confidence than those in private schools (39% vs 29%) (Sutton Trust, 2022). Students who lack confidence often underestimate their ability, avoid challenging opportunities, and set lower aspirations, even when they have the talent to excel. Without strong self-belief, barriers such as applying to competitive universities or pursuing high-status careers can feel overwhelming.
Our aim is simple – to ensure every more able student not only has the ability but also the confidence to aim high, fulfil their potential and achieve excellence. Education opens doors and changes lives and by investing in our more able students, we are not only supporting individual success but contributing to a fairer, more socially mobile society.
