General Article At what cost? Exposing the impact of poverty on school life

Topic Selected: Education
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Executive summary from the report supported by The Children’s Society.

Poverty affects every area of a child’s life, and this is no different for school. We may believe that the UK offers a free education, but what children wear at school, what they eat, whether they can join in with friends, even which classes they choose to attend, are all affected by their ability to afford the costs of school.

The inquiry heard how poverty can make children feel singled out, stigmatised and bullied. It affects whether they are properly fed and clothed, and in turn their ability to concentrate and engage in learning.

Too many children are missing out on the opportunity to make the very most of their education, because they struggle to afford the costs of school life.

A lot needs to change in order to ensure that children can afford the costs of the school day, and the recommendations in this report represent an action plan which would take a big step towards addressing this.

An overview of the co...

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