Students

What impacts children’s access to education?

Millions of children never see inside a classroom. Others drop out due to overcrowding, conflict, or simply because they’re a girl.

Here in the UK, the poorest children do less well than wealthier classmates – and low literacy is linked to low pay and unemployment.

A lot can get in the way of education. But from Leeds to Liberia, a love of learning is universal. Children know it’s key to a world of possibilities.

How serious is the problem?

Worldwide

124m children/young people have not started school or dropped out

Over a quarter of a billion children are out of school

420m children will not learn the most basic skills.

All children in Gaza have lost access to education

In the UK

23% fail to reach expected levels of language development by 5

1 in 3 children living in poverty fall behind with their education

27% of children from poor families get 5+ good GCSE passes, compared to 55% of peers from wealthier families.