Key facts
- Baroness Morris, inquiry co-chair, said action is needed "from across society", not just schools.
- The inquiry's first report, published in summer 2026, called for once-in-a-generation reforms.
- The next phase will focus on early years children and teenagers aged 14 to 19.
- Education Secretary Lucy Powell said she was "backing" the inquiry.
- The review analyzed data on 1.25 million white British pupils in England receiving free school meals.
An independent inquiry into the educational outcomes of white working-class children will move into a second phase focused on early years children and teenagers aged 14 to 19, its co-chair said on November 9, 2026. Baroness Morris, a former education secretary who co-chairs the inquiry, said the next stage will consider "what needs to be done" and that action is needed "from across society", not only from schools.
The inquiry's first report, published in summer 2026, concluded that once-in-a-generation reforms were needed to fix a system "not serving the interests of white working-class children". The year-long review spoke to thousands of young people and their parents, as well as hundreds of teachers, and analyzed education data on the 1.25 million young people in England who are white British and receive free school meals.
The inquiry found a growing belief among white working-class families that the current education system does not guarantee future success. It also acknowledged in the summer that the true scale of white working-class disadvantage is "likely to be substantially larger", because the data it examined did not include families on low incomes who do not receive free school meals.
The new phase will develop practical recommendations for government, schools, colleges and other organizations working with white working-class communities. It will include a research program on the routes taken by teenagers aged 14 to 19, examining how schools can work with communities to provide clearer pathways into further study and employment, and will look at how schools can ensure the transition from primary to secondary school builds strong foundations.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said she was "backing" the inquiry to "get to the heart of the barriers holding children back". She said too many white working-class children are falling behind at every stage of their education, from their first steps into school through to the choices they have as teenagers.
The announcement follows Prime Minister Andy Burnham's plans, announced over the summer, to open up new technical routes from age 14 in England. Burnham said he was "on a mission" to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training, known as "Neet". A final report by former minister Alan Milburn is expected in the coming weeks to set out recommendations for tackling the issue.