Education inequalities

Abstract

Abstract Education is one of the most important predictors of people's life chances, shaping outcomes like work and pay, health, and wealth. Explaining inequalities in educational outcomes, as well as how wider outcomes vary by education levels, is therefore essential to understanding lifetime inequalities. In this article, we document the changing—and unchanging—nature of educational inequalities in England and their implications for other aspects of social inequalities. We review the evidence on the returns to different types and levels of qualifications; analyse the extent to which the current education system mitigates or perpetuates other dimensions of inequalities, including social background, gender, ethnicity, and geography; and investigate the drivers of educational inequalities during schooling and beyond. Finally, we draw the policy implications of our analysis and set out principles for building a more equal education system.