material deprivation (topic 1) Flashcards
what does ‘material deprivation’ refer to?
it refers to poverty and a lack of material necessities such as adequate housing and income
what is closely linked to educational underachievement? give examples.
poverty.
department for education 2012: barely a third of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) - a widely used measure of child poverty - achieve five or more GCSEs at A*-C including English and maths, as against nearly two thirds of other pupils.
Flaherty 2004: money problems in the family as a significant factor in younger children’s non attendance at school
exclusion and truancy are more likely for children from poorer families. children excluded from school are unlikely to return to mainstream education, while a third of all persistent truants leave school with no qualifications
nearly 90% of ‘failing’ schools are located in deprived areas
what 4 factors may affect children’s education?
housing, diet and health, financial support and the costs of education, fear of debt.
how can housing affect pupils’ achievement?
overcrowding: can make it harder for children to study - less room for educational activities, leading to disturbed sleep
temporary accommodation: children have to move schools frequently - disrupted education. more likely to suffer from psychological distress, infections and absences.
effect of housing on child’s health and welfare: children in crowded housing - more at risk of having accidents
how can diet and health affect pupils’ achievement?
Howard 2001: nutrition. children from lower homes have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals. poor nutrition = lower energy levels = absence/illness/difficulty concentrating
Wilkinson 1996: health issues. children from poorer homes and lower social classes have higher rates of hyperactivity, anxiety and conduct disorders.
Blanden + Machin 2007: externalising behaviour. children from low income families - more likely to engage in externalising behaviour (fighting and tantrums)
how can financial support and the costs of education affect pupils’ achievement?
Bull 1980: ”costs of free schooling. poor families have to do without equipment and miss out on experiences which would improve their educational development (“the costs of free schooling”)
Tanner et al 2003: conducted study in the Oxford area and found costs of transport, uniforms, books, uniform etc place heavy burden on poor families - therefore poorer children have to make do with hand-me-downs and may suffer bullying or social isolation as a result.
Flaherty: there is a fear of stigmatisation when it comes to FSM. 20% of students eligible for FSM do not take up their entitlement.
Smith + Noble 1995: poverty creates a barrier to success. poorer students cannot afford private tuition and go to poorer quality schools.
Ridge: children from poorer families often take on additional jobs such as babysitting, cleaning and paper rounds which can have a negative impact on their schoolwork.
how does fear of debt affect pupils’ achievement?
Callendar + Jackson 2005: wc students are more debt averse and saw more costs than benefits of going to university. wc students 5 times less likely to apply to university
tuition fees for university: from 2012, uni fees increased to £9000 per year
UCAS and fees: when fees rose in 2012, UK applicants fell by 8.6%
*national union of students (NUS): 81% of those from higher social class received financial support at university compared to only 43% of wc students receiving financial support.
Reay 2005: wc students *5more likely to apply to local universities so they could live at home and save on travel and living expenses - less likely to go to high state universities. more likely to work part time to fund studies - more difficult to gain higher-class degrees
drop out rates for university: universities with larger proportion of poorer students have a higher drop out rate (e.g 16.6% drop out at London Metropolitan but only 1.5% at Oxford.
what other factors are there apart from material deprivation which affect pupils’ achievement?
cultural, political and religious views.
Feinstein shows that educated parents make positive contribution to child’s achievement, regardless of income level.
Mortimore + Whitty 1997 argue that material inequalities have greatest effect on achievement. due to this, Robinson 1997 argues tackling child poverty would be most effective way to boost achievement.
