Overview
- Nearly a quarter of pupils on free school meals said costs stopped them choosing a subject, compared with 9% of other pupils.
- Twenty-nine percent of disadvantaged pupils reported costs as important in GCSE choices, and 30% struggled to afford homework essentials such as technology.
- Disadvantaged pupils also reported difficulties paying for school trips (34%), musical instruments or lessons (27%), and school clubs (21%).
- Specific GCSE options carry extra expenses such as fieldwork trips, language exchanges, instrument tuition, food ingredients, and PE equipment.
- The Survation poll for CPAG surveyed 1,701 UK secondary pupils between April 17 and May 1, and the charity is calling for an end to the two-child benefit limit as the Department for Education highlights uniform caps, wider free school meals and breakfast clubs.