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Key stage 2 SATs: Disadvantage gap narrows very slightly

This year’s key stage 2 SATs results show a slight increase in outcomes and a narrowing of the disadvantage gap – although we are still struggling to get back to pre-pandemic levels.
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The provisional results (DfE, 2024) show that across reading, writing and maths combined, 61% of pupils met the expected standard this year, up slightly from 60% in 2023.

At the same time, the key stage 2 disadvantage gap has closed, with the DfE’s “disadvantage index” down from 3.23 in 2022 and 3.21 in 2023 to 3.12 in 2024 (an index rating of 0 would indicate no gap at all).

However, while the disadvantage index in 2010 stood at 3.34, it had fallen to 2.91 just before Covid hit. Likewise, pre-Covid 65% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

In percentage terms, in reading, writing and maths combined, 45% of disadvantaged pupils met the expected standard in 2024 compared to 67% of other pupils – both rates increasing by 1% since 2023, keeping the gap at 22%.

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