Lower GCSE grades for children in families relying on food banks

Children living with long-term poverty and whose families rely on food banks are more likely to achieve lower GCSE grades, finds a report co-authored by UCL researchers. Pupils in these families achieved half a grade lower per subject than they would be expected to, even taking previous grades and other aspects of household finances into account. The authors say this raises concerns about the long-term impact of the cost-of-living crisis. The study also found that just over four in five (81%) of parents and more than half (54%) of young people in families struggling financially report poor mental health. One in ten young people live in households classed as 'food insecure', meaning they lack reliable access to enough affordable and healthy food. The COVID Social Mobility & Opportunities (COSMO) study is jointly led by the UCL Centre for Education Policy & Equalising Opportunities (CEPEO), the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies and the charity Sutton Trust. The study, the largest of its kind, is tracking the lives of a cohort of 13,000 young people in England who are taking A-Levels and other qualifications in 2023.