The latest findings in the Growing Apart report from the Education Policy Institute and Education Endowment Foundation should prompt a fundamental rethink of how we support disadvantaged pupils.

The evidence is increasingly clear: while early intervention matters enormously, the children facing the greatest barriers are those experiencing persistent, long-term disadvantage.

And if we are serious about improving life chances, we must ensure that schools serving these pupils receive the sustained support and resources they need.

Consistent action, not one-off interventions

For too long, education policy has searched for a single point at which disadvantage can be “fixed”.

Early years provision has often been cast in that role, and with good reason. The foundations of language development, social skills and early literacy are laid down before children even begin formal schooling.

Previous EPI research has shown that a substantial proportion of the attainment gap evident at age 16 is already present by the age of 5. Clearly, early action is essential.

The danger lies in treating early intervention as though it can carry the burden alone. Children do not stop experiencing poverty at any arbitrary point in time.

Families continue to face financial pressures, housing insecurity and limited access to enrichment opportunities. The effects of disadvantage accumulate over time.

Keep up, don’t just catch up

There is limited value in helping children to catch up if we do not enable them to keep up.

The pupils who face the greatest challenge are those experiencing disadvantage year after year.

EPI’s research has consistently shown that persistently disadvantaged pupils fall furthest behind their peers, with gaps stretching to almost two years of learning by the end of secondary school. These children require long-term investment and stability.

This is why the Coalition for Pupil Premium Reform, which we represent, has repeatedly argued that the current funding system needs updating.

Schools and colleges educating large numbers of persistently disadvantaged pupils need additional capacity to provide pastoral support, attendance interventions, academic support and wider enrichment opportunities.

They need the staffing and expertise to sustain support over many years, not just during moments of crisis.

The importance of localised approaches

The evidence also reminds us that the journey through adolescence matters profoundly. As children move into secondary school, peer influences become increasingly significant.

Young people are shaped not only by what happens in classrooms but also by the norms, expectations and aspirations of those around them. This makes continued support into the teenage years crucial.

The report also highlights the importance of understanding how poverty interacts with other factors, including ethnicity and geography.

Many ethnic minority groups demonstrate strong educational outcomes despite economic disadvantage.

Yet there are areas of the country where white children from low-income backgrounds perform particularly poorly.

This underlines the importance of localised approaches that recognise the specific needs of different communities.

Areas where white, low-income pupils are heavily concentrated often face broader economic and social challenges, including reduced opportunities, lower levels of adult qualifications and weaker local labour markets.

Secure foundations are key

Teachers and school leaders who are closest to the issues should be given the autonomy and resources they need to address these needs.

Empowering teachers in this way does more than support one cohort of pupils; it strengthens practice across successive year groups and builds the long-term capacity schools need to respond well to disadvantage over time.

Strong foundations in English and mathematics continue to be among the most powerful protective factors in a child’s educational journey.

Reading fluency opens the door to every subject in the curriculum. Secure mathematical understanding builds confidence and expands future opportunities. Success in these areas in primary school increases the likelihood that pupils will navigate later educational transitions successfully.

This is not because test scores are the only thing that matters. They are not. But they represent essential tools that enable children to access further learning. Without them, subsequent interventions become much harder.

Sustained, long-term interventions

The challenge set out in Growing Apart goes beyond simply intervening earlier. It demands smarter intervention and sustained intervention.

Early years investment remains vital, but it must be matched by sustained support throughout childhood and adolescence.

If we genuinely believe that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, then our funding system must reflect that commitment. Schools and colleges serving persistently disadvantaged pupils cannot be expected to overcome entrenched inequalities with inadequate resources.

And funding reform must come alongside investment in the local partnerships and services that surround schools.

The children facing the steepest climb need support that begins in the early years and holds firm throughout every stage of education.

Reforming the pupil premium to target long-term disadvantage more effectively is a critical factor in turning that principle into practice.

Written on behalf of the Coalition for Pupil Premium Reform by Fiona Spellman, chief executive of SHINE; Chris Zarraga, the director of Schools North East; Ed Marsh, chief executive of The Tutor Trust; and Henri Murison, chief executive at the Northern Powerhouse Partnership