Telling the Story - Ezekiel

This is what educational disadvantage looks like for Ezekiel:

Ezekiel is from Tower Hamlets, East London

Ezekiel's school is in one of the 5% most deprived areas in the UK
52% of children in Tower Hamlets are from families on out of work benefits
46.4% of primary school children and 56.5% of secondary school pupils in Tower Hamlets are claiming free school meals
98.7% of pupils in Bethnal Green Academy come from the 30% poorest homes according to the IDACI (Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index)
6.4% of residents in Tower Hamlets are claiming JSA (7.9% of men, and 4.8% of women)
18.1% of residents in Tower Hamlets are claiming benefits
98.7% of pupils in Bethnal Green Academy come from the 30% poorest homes according to the IDACI (Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index)

None of this should mean that Ezekiel is destined to fail. Change is possible. Cycles can be broken.

Ezekiel attends Bethnal Green Academy. His school is one of many in low-income communities that have seen significant transformation over the last 10 years. Ten years ago just 17% of pupils in Bethnal Green Academy achieved 5 good GCSEs. In 2011 80% achieved this benchmark.

An excellent headteacher combined with effective and committed teachers has meant that Ezekiel will be set on a different life-path to the children attending the school ten years ago.

30 Teach First participants have trained at this school and 16 remain there now. Working alongside other teachers and the rest of the school staff, they have been part of transforming this school and the life chances of the pupils who go there. With his positive attitude and with hard work, Ezekiel has the opportunity to create a bright future for himself.

At Teach First we are working in partnership with others to ensure that no child's educational success is limited by their socio-economic background. We believe that the scale of change needed will only be achieved through the collective effort of leaders in classrooms, in schools and throughout society. Each must challenge and change the status quo child by child, classroom by classroom, school by school, community by community until educational disadvantage becomes a work of fiction, not fact.

• Category

  Education