SOME pupils across Dorset could be disadvantaged when it comes to taking their GCSEs, a new report has revealed.

An Education Policy Institute (EPI) report has revealed that there has been a “significant slowdown” in the rate at which the attainment gap among GCSE pupils has been closing.

The EPI says that it will take more than a century to bring poor pupils’ GCSE English and maths grades into line with those of their wealthier peers under current trends.

Overall, the thinktank found that the gap in school attainment between disadvantaged pupils – those eligible for the pupil premium – and their peers has changed little since 2011.

As of last year, early years pupils in Dorset classed as disadvantaged were, developmentally, an average of five months behind their peers, the research found.

At the end of primary school, this gap stood at 10.5 months in 2017 while by the secondary school, this number had increased to 23.3 months.

In comparison, nationally, as of last year, early years pupils classed as disadvantaged were, developmentally, an average of 4.3 months behind their peers.

This had increased to 9.4 months by the end of primary school and 18 months by the end of secondary school.

For secondary schools, the EPI said that the attainment gap for GCSE English language and maths results was the largest with additional subjects historically seeing smaller disadvantage gaps.

David Laws, EPI’s executive chairman, said: “This detailed analysis shows that over the last few years progress in reducing the gap between disadvantaged pupils and other students appears to be stalling. In parts of the country, poor pupils are around two years of learning behind the average of other students by the time GCSEs are being taken – this is surely unacceptable.

“Progress is particularly disappointing for the most disadvantaged pupils.”

“Over the last 20 years, successive governments have generally prioritised policies to help close the disadvantaged gap – with some success.

“But there is a serious risk that trends in child poverty and financial pressures on education services upon which poor children depend could impede further progress to make outcomes in English education more equal – if this happens then it will be difficult to make gains in improving social mobility.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Closing the attainment gap to make sure every child fulfils their potential is a key priority for this government. In fact, the gap has closed by 3.2 per cent in the last year alone – one of the highest reductions we’ve seen since 2011.

“To ensure this continues, we are targeting support at some of the poorest areas of the country with our £72m

Opportunity Areas programme, our Social Mobility Action Plan is focusing £800 million of resources on helping disadvantaged children including new programmes to improve early language and literacy skills before they start school.”

Dorset County Council said they did not wish to comment on the report when approached.