Major study reveals inequalities in identifying learning difficulties for pupils

Specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) are not being identified equally among school pupils in England, according to a major study by Durham and Oxford universities. The research, which examined data from over 540,000 Year 6 pupils across 14,800 schools, raises questions about fair access to support.  

The researchers call for a standardised way to assess children for SpLDs, including dyslexia and dyscalculia, across the school system, additional professional development for teachers to reduce unconscious bias, and extra financial support for schools in disadvantaged areas. 

The findings suggest that a child with a particular level of academic achievement can be considered to have an SpLD if they attend School A, but not in School B. The study found that students in high-achieving schools were more likely to be identified with SpLDs, even with the same test scores as peers in low-achieving schools. The researchers suggest “underachievement” may be judged relative to peers, meaning SpLD identification could depend on the school’s overall performance.  

Some of the findings: 

• Schools with more children from disadvantaged areas were associated with lower chances of being identified as having SpLDs. This finding supports previous research that has shown it’s not always possible for parents to afford assessments for their children, which often require private providers. 
• Girls were less likely to be identified than boys, despite controlling for achievement and background. This was particularly pronounced in maths where boys had about twice the odds of being identified compared to girls with similar maths attainment.  
• Children with English as an Additional Language (EAL), even with the same reading or maths scores as their non-EAL peers, had substantially lower odds of being identified with SpLDs. 

Using the National Pupil Database, the study examined pupils’ reading and maths performance, gender, language background, mobility, and family deprivation, as well as school-level factors like average attainment and levels of disadvantage. The researchers say these patterns show there are systemic and contextual factors at play, that go beyond pupils’ individual academic skills, that influence whether SpLDs are recognised in pupils. These include pupils’ language background, socioeconomic circumstances, gender and overall school performance. 

Dr Johny Daniel from the School of Education at Durham University said: “Our study shows that a child in one school could be considered to have a specific learning difficulty whereas a child with the same academic achievement in another school may not be spotted. This raises serious questions about fair access to support. Every child should have an equal chance at having their needs recognised and receive the right support, regardless of their background, gender, family deprivation or which school they go to. It is crucial to tackle this variability in the system.” 

Professor Steve Strand from the University of Oxford’s Department of Education, said: “The variation between primary schools in the number of young people identified with SpLD is huge, and we are unable to account for much of it. We need much more research to understand what drives these differences.”  

Research paper: “Specific Learning Difficulties: Disparities in Identification”, by Johny Daniel, Julian Elliott, Peter Tymms from Durham University and Steve Strand from the University of Oxford, is published in the Journal of Learning Disabilities.