Students from low socio-economic backgrounds in New Zealand face many disadvantages when it comes to education, and, despite government initiatives, the disparity between the poor and the well-off continues to grow in this country. New Zealand is among several countries where income inequalities are large and the impact of socio-economic background on learning outcomes is also large (OECD, 2010). The literature in New Zealand, and overseas, regarding the effects of poverty on education is varied and extensive. This position paper discusses these effects on the learning and behaviour of students and considers what ethnicities are most at-risk as a result. Enablers and barriers to overcoming disadvantages associated with low socio-economic status (SES) background are then reviewed.