At what cost? Exposing the impact of poverty on school life

The Children’s Commission on Poverty has been meeting since July 2013. Since then, we have been working tirelessly to come up with practical and pioneering solutions to tackle the injustice of child poverty in the UK.

School is where young people spend a lot of their young lives. This is why we decided to hold an inquiry in order to explore how poverty affects young people’s experiences of school. We wanted to remove the idea that poverty stops at the school gates. For this reason we spoke to many different people and organisations with varying roles in education.

This is specifically a big issue because there are many young people who don’t enjoy school due to the prices of materials for school; these are often too expensive for young people and families to afford. We identified three main categories which cost money within school; these may sometimes set a barrier due to the cost being unaffordable.

These categories are:
• School meals
• School uniforms
• Cost of materials and trips

This report explores the impact of these different school costs. It summarises the evidence collected through three sessions in parliament as well as interviews with children and parents about their first-hand experience. Also there’s a survey about children’s and parent’s views on the cost of school. These, fused together, will develop to form recommendations to eradicate child poverty.

If put into practice these recommendations would prove to be a big step in establishing that children can have the same opportunities in school no matter who they are or what they have. This equality in society is a goal that we not only feel is important as The Children’s Commission on Poverty but one which the entire country, both governments and people alike, should take upon themselves