External Factors of Social Class and Educational Achievement: Material Deprivation

Question 1

Define ‘material deprivation’.

Answer 1

When people are deprived of the economic and material resources needed to succeed.

Question 2

Give supporting evidence for material deprivation affecting educational attainment.

Answer 2

38% of pupils who receive free school meals gained 5 GCSE A*-C grades compared to 65% of other pupils.
- Teach First report (2014)

Question 3

Give 3 examples of the housing conditions of people who experience material deprivation.

Answer 3

1) Damp
2) Limited gas/electricity
3) Unsafe

Question 4

Give 2 statistics relating to poor housing of people who experience material deprivation.

Answer 4

1) Over 1 million homes in the UK are deemed ‘unfit to live in’
2) Poor children are 2.5 times more likely to suffer chronic illnesses due to poor living conditions

Question 5

Give 2 examples of the environment of people who experience material deprivation.

Answer 5

1) Unkempt park

2) Littered streets

Question 6

Give 2 statistics relating to the environment of people who experience material deprivation.

Answer 6

1) Working class children are 5 times less likely to have access to a safe place to play
2) 60% of poor families turn off heating in the winter to save money

Question 7

Give 2 examples of the diet of people who experience material deprivation.

Answer 7

1) Skipping meals

2) Not a balanced or varied diet

Question 8

Give 2 examples of the resources of people who experience material deprivation.

Answer 8

1) Limited amount of money due to lack of jobs

2) Likely to face debt and be reliant on benefits

Question 9

Give 2 statistics relating to the resources of people who experience material deprivation.

Answer 9

1) In November 2010, the UK was ranked 18/22 of EU countries for least amount of child poverty
2) Child poverty is set to rise by 11% in the next 3 years

Question 10

Give 3 examples of the educational experiences of people who experience material deprivation.

Answer 10

1) They miss school due to being ill
2) They receive free school meals
3) They get bullied for ill-fitting uniform

Question 11

Define ‘material capital’.

Answer 11

When people have a sufficient amount of economic and material resources needed to succeed.

Question 12

Give 3 examples of the housing conditions of people who experience material capital.

Answer 12

1) Enough gas/electricity
2) Decorated nicely with no damp
3) Spacious and uncramped

Question 13

Give 2 examples of the environment of people who experience material capital.

Answer 13

1) Safe places to play

2) Clean with little to no litter

Question 14

Give 2 examples of the diet of people who experience material capital.

Answer 14

1) 3 meals a day with snacks and more luxurious food

2) Ranged and balanced diet

Question 15

Give 2 examples of the resources of people who experience material capital.

Answer 15

1) Well paid job with less chance of being in debt or reliant on benefits
2) More electronics

Question 16

Give 3 examples of the educational experiences of people who experience material capital.

Answer 16

1) High attendance
2) Extra tuition to improve intelligence
3) Access to the internet at home with personal computers and smartphones

Question 17

What did J.W.B Douglas (1964) find in regards to working class families?

Answer 17

Acknowledged the impact of poor housing, overcrowding and noise all being factors of underachievement.

Question 18

What did Shropshire and Middleton (1999) find in regards to working class families?

Answer 18

Children from poor families are aware of their parents’ poverty and so lower their educational aspirations to earn a wage as quickly as possible.

Question 19

What did Forsythe and Furlong (2000) find in regards to working class families?

Answer 19

The cost of higher education and the prospect of debt deters intelligent working class children from going onto higher education.

Question 20

What did Payne (2001) find in regards to middle class families?

Answer 20

82% of children of professional workers went on to do A levels compared to 60% of children of manual workers.