Social Class and Education Flashcards
How does social class effect education? (factual)
Children from middle class backgrounds on average peform better than working class students. The class gap grows as children get older. Children with middle class backgrounds do better at gsce, stay longer in full time education and take the majority of university places.
What do statistics show about parental jobs influence on education?
The higher the parents jobs the better the child does. However as a graph this only gives quantative data meaning that it doesn’t give the full picture.
What are internal factors?
Many argue that the things that happen within school have an effect on the life chances of students. This research comes from an interactionalist perspective. A teacher can have a direct impact on students achievement by the way they behave.
How does streaming link to social class?
The higher a pupils class, the greater the chance of them being allocated to a top stream. Thus setting and streaming can contribute to the underachievement of working class pupils.
What study would support the idea that setting and streaming has an effect on achievement?
Balls study of beachside comprehensive. The working class aren’t given the opportunity to succeed, they are labelled and expected to fail.
What studys can be used to support that subcultures have an effect on education?
Laceys on pro and anti school sub cultures and Willis and Mac an Ghaills social class.
What advantages do you have if you have economic capital?
Private school, recourses, tutors, the ability to move to a better catchment area, school trips, technology, developing cultural and social capital.
Why does shortage of money mean that children are more likely to have low underachievement at school?
Children that live in poverty and more likely to live in cold, cramped and unhealthy conditions.
What did Cooper and Stewart find?
Money makes a difference too children’s educational achievement. Poorer children have worst cognitive, social behaviour and health outcomes in part because they are poor.
What are the hidden costs of free Schools?
Many working class families may struggle to meet the costs of sending their children to school which amount too £1614 per year. For example parents have to pay for transport, food, trips, stationery, uniform and pe kit.
How can you evaluate the idea of hidden costs?
The existence of free school means and bursarys.
What are 4 examples of material deprivation?
Low levels of disposable income so students can’t afford to buy things for school. Bad diet and poor health. Poor housing and overcrowding. Pressure on students to work and provide for themselves and family.
How may material deprivation impact on universities students?
They may be less able to make friends which would impact on their mental health. They may focus on work rather than studying and attending lessons.
What did Smith and Noble argue about material deprivation?
Material deprivation tends to be cumulative like a snowball effect. For example an inability to afford things may lead to a child being isolated and bullied. Children living in damp and overcrowded conditions are likely to underpeform and are susceptible to illness. A low income reduces the liklihood of a computer with Internet access, over subscribed schools are more likely to exist in affluent areas.
What did Reay find?
When working class students go to university they are more likely to apply to the nearest university for financial reasons. Working class students are more likely to have a part time job and this can impact on their performance. At Oxford and Cambridge students are not allowed paid employment during term time which may put off working class students from even applying.
