Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures will be taken to address the underperformance of pupils from (a) black and (b) gypsy and traveller communities under the provisions of the White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools for All.
Answer
As outlined in the Schools White Paper, this Government is committed to ensuring that all pupils, regardless of their background, achieve their potential.We will focus on raising the attainment of black, and gypsy, roma and traveller pupils by putting in place targeted national programmes designed to provide advice, training, resources and challenge to schools with large numbers of underachieving pupils from these groups. These programmes will build on the test bed work that we have piloted through the Aiming High: Raising the Achievement of Ethnic Minority Pupils strategy.