White working-class boys may need local teaching

Teaching white, working-class boys from a regional curriculum could raise their achievement levels, it has been claimed.

According to delegates at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers conference, lessons which reflect local pride, history and culture could spark a sense of identity among the group and lead to an improvement in grades.

Talking to the BBC, John Puckrin, a London-based teacher, revealed that the failure of schools to engage young white males could have far reaching consequences.

"Underachievement has a cost to all of us, both in terms of economic support, crime and dysfunction, but also the loss of productive potential," he told the broadcaster.

"Space needs to be found for local histories, issues and needs," he added. "Cohesion is either achieved or fails at a local community level."

According to recent government statistics, just 15 per cent of white, working-class boys achieved grades A* to C in five GCSEs in 2007.