Education And Social Class

Question 1

What is meant by social class?

Answer 1

It refers to someone’s position within the hierarchy of the UK. The government base this upon a person’s occupation, income and educational qualifications

Question 2

What are some indicators of social class?

Answer 2

• speech — accent
• dress/clothes
• use of language
• cultural capital — knowledge
• school type e.g private or public
• money/wealth
• manners/etiquette
• job
• parents occupation

Question 3

What are the characteristics and educational experience of the upper class?

Answer 3

• attend top private schools and boarding schools
• would be aiming to go to Oxford and Cambridge university
• aiming for top/powerful jobs —> e.g. lawyers, doctors, politicians, working in business
• have social capital - connections —> help get internships, help get best jobs

Question 4

What are the characteristics and educational experience of the middle class?

Answer 4

• would attend best state schools or the not as expensive private schools
• attend selective state schools e.g. Tiffins
• parents often pay for private tuition for their children
• extra-curricular —> e.g. ballet, martial arts, dance, music, sports
• aim for Russel group university or maybe Oxford + Cambridge

Question 5

What are the characteristics and educational experience of the working class?

Answer 5

• attend state school and local schools
• might not be able to afford travel to school so go to local ones
• may take more vocational courses
• may go to university but are less likely to
• most likely to go to the lower state universities e.g. Southbank

Question 6

What two explanations are there for class differences in education?

Answer 6

1) internal factors
2) external factors

Question 7

What is meant by external factors and what are some examples?

Answer 7

External factors —> the things which take place outside of school which may have an impact on educational attainment
E.g. economic capital, material deprivation, cultural deprivation, cultural capital

Question 8

What is meant by internal factors and what are some examples?

Answer 8

Internal factors —> things which take place inside the school which may have an impact on educational attainment
E.g. labelling, setting and streaming, pupil subcultures, school policies