Indicator
Inequalities in school attainment by ethnicity
Published
29 April 2025
Last updated
11 May 2026
Time to read
About 2 mins
About 2 mins
Key points
- Children of Chinese ethnicity are the most likely to achieve the expected level at early years foundation stage, key stage 2 and key stage 4.
- Differences in the expected level of achievement between ethnic groups are more prominent at older ages.
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This chart shows the percentage of children in England achieving the expected level at early years foundation stage, key stage 2 and key stage 4, by ethnicity, in the 2024/25 academic year.
- At early years foundation stage, the pupils most likely to achieve expected levels are children of Chinese ethnicity (78.8%) and of white and Asian heritage (75.1%). This compares with children of Irish traveller heritage and children of Gypsy/Roma background at 31.9% and 39.1% respectively.
- By key stage 4, 88.6% of children of Chinese ethnicity and 73.6% of children of white and Asian ethnicity achieve the expected level, compared with 17.6% of children of Gypsy/Roma background and 30.7% of Irish traveller heritage.
- The gap between the highest and lowest achieving ethnic group widens from around 47 percentage points at early years foundation to 71 percentage points by key stage 4.
- Children achieving the expected level refers to ‘Good level of Development’ at early years foundation stage, children who met the expected standard at reading, writing and maths at key stage 2 and children achieving Grades 9–4 at GCSE English and maths at key stage 4.
- Early years foundation stage is taught over two years and is assessed by teachers when the children reach five years of age. Early years foundation stage data is an annual child-level statutory requirement in local authorities in England which covers all children at the end of early years foundation stage in state-funded schools, maintained nursery schools and private, voluntary and independent providers where children’s early years provision is government funded.
- Key stage 2 is taught over four years and is assessed at the end of year 6. It is assessed through national tests in English reading, maths, and grammar, punctuation and spelling, and teacher assessments in English writing and science. Key stage 2 assessments must be administered by state-funded schools, including pupils at pupil referral units, alternative provision academies and free schools. The data presented only includes state-funded schools.
- Key stage 4 is taught over two years and is assessed at the end of year 11. Most children take GCSEs or other national qualifications. GCSE grade 9 is the highest possible grade. Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 a strong pass. The data presented only includes state funded schools.
Source: Department for Education, Early Years Foundation Stage profile results, England, 2024/25, Department for Education, Key stage 2 attainment, England, 2024/25, Department for Education, Key stage 4 performance, England, 2024/25
