Schools ranked on how poorer students perform

Schools are to be ranked in future on how well their disadvantaged pupils perform in exams.

Ministers are drawing up a new measure for exam league tables designed to compare the performance of children on free school meals in each secondary school in England.

The move is intended to improve social mobility and pressure schools to put more effort into helping poorer pupils. Only 8 per cent of pupils on free school meals attempt the new English baccalaureate – and only 4 per cent of those pass it.

Schools are all entitled to a "pupil premium" from this month – giving them more cash for every disadvantaged child they take in.