A good night’s sleep: Why sleep inequality matters for learning

SEAN HARRIS, TEES VALLEY EDUCATION, UK LISA ARTIS, THE SLEEP CHARITY, UK JESS SANDY, ZARACH, UK In debates about educational inequality, emphasis is often placed on pedagogy and pupil premium strategies. Yet the issue of sleep is largely invisible in these discussions. For many pupils experiencing hardship, sleep is neither consistent nor secure. Unstable housing, financial pressure and inadequate living arrangements mean that a good night’s sleep cannot be taken for granted. These realities are rarely the result of individual choices; they are shaped by structural pressures such as rising costs and food insecurity. Increasingly, schools encounter pupils who arrive tired and unable to fully participate in learning. While there is no universally agreed definition of sleep inequality, our work understands it as the unequal distribution of sleep health across society. In practice, this means that families experiencing economic hardship are more likely to experience insufficient