The gap in GCSE grades between disadvantaged pupils and their peers is the widest in a decade after this summer’s results in England, with school leaders predicting spending cuts will make matters worse. The figures published by the Department for Education showed disadvantaged pupils – mainly those eligible for free school meals – had GCSE results on average half a grade lower than children from better-off backgrounds, the widest gap since 2011-12. The gap for children with special education needs was an even wider, averaging three-quarters of a grade lower. The DfE said the widening gap “may reflect the difficult circumstances that many pupils will have experienced over the last few academic years”, through disruption caused by the pandemic. But experts said the figures meant there was an urgent need for a new child poverty strategy to tackle the worsening gap. Emily Hunt, an associate director at the Education Policy Institute thinktank, said: “As the government considers whether education budgets could be cut further, any reductions pose the very real risk of further widening the attainment gap. Given that increasing numbers of pupils are falling into disadvantage, we urgently need a cross-government child poverty strategy to address the root causes of disadvantage.” Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the widening gap was “extremely concerning” for parents and teachers. “Significant investment in a coherent plan for education recovery is badly needed if this gap is ever going to close. Instead, it seems likely that the government is going to reduce spending on education even further,” Barton said. The latest school absence data published by the DfE revealed high levels of absence among disadvantaged pupils over the last school year. More than one in three children eligible for free school meals were persistently absent in autumn 2021 and spring this year, compared with 18% of pupils who were not eligible. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss the equivalent of seven days in a term. Jonathan Gullis, the schools minister for England, said: “We know the pandemic impacted children’s learning, and today’s data shows why it is so important we keep our foot on the accelerator and continue to roll out our £5bn education recovery programme.” The value-added or progress scores for individual schools revealed that the Michaela community school in north-west London – founded by the government’s social mobility tsar, Katharine Birbalsingh – made the most progress in 2022. Michaela pupils received GCSE results that averaged more than two grades higher than forecast by primary school results. Two schools run by the Star academy chain – Tauheedul Islam girls’ school in Blackburn and the Eden girls’ academy in Birmingham – also recorded high progress scores of just under two grades higher for each pupil. Most schools in England had progress rates of between plus or minus half a grade. Sir Mufti Hamid Patel, the chief executive of Star Academies, said he was delighted by the outcomes but said this year’s results should be read with caution, with some schools affected by changes to reporting, such as early-entry grades being discounted from a school’s overall results. “For four of our schools to be ranked in the top 20 in England is exceptional but what matters most is that children achieve the results they need to progress to their chosen course or destination, and to set them up for future success,” Patel said. Individual school results showed selective schools again producing the highest attainment, led by Henrietta Barnett grammar school in north London. The highest attaining non-selective state school was Dame Alice Owen’s school in Potters Bar, followed by Michaela and Tauheedul, recording higher average grades than many grammar schools.