Despite decades of interventions, the attainment gap for white working-class pupils remains stubbornly unchanged. This case study shares how one multi-academy trust is approaching the challenge differently, by focusing less on deficit-driven interventions and more on belonging, pride, and ownership in education.
Drawing on practice across schools serving very different communities, the session explores what has worked for other marginalised groups and why those approaches have rarely been applied to white British pupils. It examines how language, aspiration, community identity, and school culture can unintentionally alienate the very children we are trying to support, and what leaders can do differently.