Poorer pupils in England eligible for free school meals (FSM) have dropped further behind their more privileged peers at GCSE, according to analysis of this year’s results.

Ofqual said that there has been a slight widening of the “long-standing results gap” between students in receipt of FSM and those who are not, by around one tenth of a grade compared with 2019.

The exams regulator suggested the widening gap could be a reflection of the “uneven impact” of the coronavirus crisis, while Labour claimed that the Government had “abandoned” those eligible for FSM.

Meanwhile, private schools have seen the biggest absolute increase in the highest grades compared with other types of schools and colleges – up 4 percentage points on last year.

Hundreds of thousands of youngsters have been given results determined by their teachers after exams were cancelled for the second year in a row, with pupils only assessed on what they have been taught during the pandemic.

Analysis by Ofqual for results in England found that there were no notable changes in the gap between the grades received by white pupils and those received by most ethnic groups.

However, the exams regulator said that Gypsy and Roma pupils have seen a decrease in outcomes compared with 2019 – the most recent year exams went ahead – when controlling for prior attainment.

There has been a slight widening of the gap between this group and white students by nearly one fifth of a grade, according to the analysis on equalities.

It said: “It seems likely that many of these changes reflect the uneven impact of the pandemic and that the changes to the assessment arrangements may have lessened the unevenness in outcomes we may otherwise have seen.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, told the PA news agency: “Care must be taken not to come to quick and simplistic conclusions for this.

“Differences in results between groups of students are very complex issues and, in the circumstances, will reflect issues of educational inequality which have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

“Although overall it appears that the processes for awarding grades this summer have had a positive effect on mitigating the differential impact of the pandemic on students’ learning, it may be that this wasn’t as successful for some particular groups of students.”

A separate analysis by Ofqual found that 61.2% of GCSE entries from private schools in England were awarded a grade 7 or above this year, compared with 57.2% in 2020 and 46.6% in 2019.

Grammar schools saw 68.4% of entries achieve a top grade this year, while in comparison, 28.1% of pupils at academies were awarded a grade 7 or higher.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told PA: “Any increase in gaps between students and institutions is obviously worrying but it isn’t easy to identify exactly why this has happened.

“The most likely explanation is that pupils at independent schools have in general been less affected by the pandemic than those at state schools.

“They are more likely to come from wealthy homes where digital technology will have been readily available and they are generally taught in smaller groups because independent schools are much better funded than state schools.

“This does emphasise the need for a much more substantial education recovery package for the state sector than ministers have so far provided.”

Reacting to the GCSE results, Sir Keir Starmer said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and the Government had scored a “U” on tackling inequality.

“What I want to see is a first-class education for every child, whoever they are and wherever they come from,” the Labour leader told broadcasters.

“What we have seen today is baked in inequality – the gap between those going to private schools and going to state schools has got bigger, rather than smaller.

“For Gavin Williamson and the Government, on the issue of tackling inequality, they just got a U, and I just think that’s completely unacceptable.”

However, skills minister Gillian Keegan said that private schools had performed better because they are selective.

Asked about the results gap, the Conservative minister told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme: “Some fee-paying schools, it is something we see every year – that’s why we are always focused on the disadvantaged gap.

“One of the things we did see this year is that actually all students did improve overall – that’s great news, and there was stability in the results at all levels, so we’re delighted for all the students.

“But you do see some differences in those private schools because they are selective schools.”

It comes after educational charity The Sutton Trust raised concerns on A-level results day that the pandemic had widened the gap between independent and state schools.

Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chair of the Sutton Trust, said on GCSE results day: “GCSEs are a pivotal moment in a young person’s life: they’re passports to next steps, whether that’s further study or training.

“The attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has also increased due to the effects of the pandemic, which have impacted disadvantaged students most keenly.

“As these students have faced the most obstacles in their learning this year, it’s crucial that there is support for their learning as they enter post-16 education.”

Shadow education secretary Kate Green said: “Children on free school meals have been abandoned by this government and students in state schools are again being outstripped by their more advantaged private school peers.

“These widening attainment gaps are testament to the Conservatives’ failed approach to education.”

Alissa Dhaliwal, head of skills at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), added: “Ensuring young people from all backgrounds can fulfil their potential in education is crucial to securing a more inclusive economy.

“We can’t allow the pandemic to worsen existing inequalities. Employers want diverse workforces which reflect the talent they know exists in all corners of society.”