Leadership - why data is key to effective interventions

As interventions leader, this raised questions in my mind as to how we could address the issue. But before I can look at how to try address it, I need to explore the possible reasons for the disparity between those who are disadvantaged and the others. What are the key reasons that disadvantaged children achieve less than those who are not so disadvantaged? Could it be that they are less likely to get the support at home to consolidate their learning? Do they have such chaotic lives that they are not able to concentrate on and complete homework? Do they have anyone to talk to, and who will listen to them, to improve vocabulary and communication skills? Do they have access to books, or have stories read to them regularly to help promote a love of reading? Are they able to practise their reading (and writing) skills with parents who are able to support and nurture their achievements? Do they have parents who value education enough to ensure they attend school regularly? Of course these questions are generalisations of the background of these children, and there are exceptions, but to be able to address the problem we need to understand the possible reasons.