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Reassessing Urban-Rural Education Disparities: Evidence from England

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Title: Reassessing Urban-Rural Education Disparities: Evidence from England
Language: English
Authors: Gaojie Cao, Guanyu Huo (ORCID 0009-0006-8371-5723)
Source: Educational Studies. 2026 52(2):189-208.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Elementary Education
Grade 8
Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Rural Urban Differences, Rural Education, Urban Education, Achievement Gap, Achievement Tests, Mathematics Achievement, Mathematics Tests, Elementary Secondary Education, International Assessment, Science Achievement, Science Tests, Grade 8, Educational Resources, Advantaged, Disadvantaged, Discipline Problems, Parent Background, Teaching Experience
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
DOI: 10.1080/03055698.2025.2478831
ISSN: 0305-5698
1465-3400
Abstract: Rural-urban disparities in education in developed countries have received limited attention in recent years, and whether rural schools face additional disadvantages is controversial. This study examines the differences between urban and rural education in England using data from the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for eighth-grade students, involving a sample of 3,365 pupils across 136 schools. Findings indicate the existence of hidden inequalities, particularly evident in the educational resources and sustainability of teaching teams of rural schools in England. Moreover, the study challenges previous assertions suggesting the disappearance of educational attainment gaps between urban and rural areas, revealing a negative association between attending rural schools and academic achievement in England, notably in mathematics. Despite modest explanatory power, this correlation remains after controlling for contextual variables. Therefore, this study calls for renewed attention to rural education at research, policy, and practice levels.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502993
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Reassessing Urban-Rural Education Disparities: Evidence from England
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gaojie+Cao%22">Gaojie Cao</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Guanyu+Huo%22">Guanyu Huo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8371-5723">0009-0006-8371-5723</externalLink>)
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Urban+Differences%22">Rural Urban Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Education%22">Rural Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urban+Education%22">Urban Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Gap%22">Achievement Gap</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Tests%22">Achievement Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Achievement%22">Mathematics Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Tests%22">Mathematics Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22International+Assessment%22">International Assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Achievement%22">Science Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Tests%22">Science Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Resources%22">Educational Resources</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Advantaged%22">Advantaged</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disadvantaged%22">Disadvantaged</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Discipline+Problems%22">Discipline Problems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Background%22">Parent Background</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Experience%22">Teaching Experience</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom+%28England%29%22">United Kingdom (England)</searchLink>
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  Data: Rural-urban disparities in education in developed countries have received limited attention in recent years, and whether rural schools face additional disadvantages is controversial. This study examines the differences between urban and rural education in England using data from the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for eighth-grade students, involving a sample of 3,365 pupils across 136 schools. Findings indicate the existence of hidden inequalities, particularly evident in the educational resources and sustainability of teaching teams of rural schools in England. Moreover, the study challenges previous assertions suggesting the disappearance of educational attainment gaps between urban and rural areas, revealing a negative association between attending rural schools and academic achievement in England, notably in mathematics. Despite modest explanatory power, this correlation remains after controlling for contextual variables. Therefore, this study calls for renewed attention to rural education at research, policy, and practice levels.
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  Data: EJ1502993
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        Value: 10.1080/03055698.2025.2478831
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Rural Urban Differences
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