Social class differences in educational achievement

Question 1

What did Perry and Francis point out?

Answer 1

Social class strongest predictor of educational achievement in UK, key factor influencing whether child does well or badly.

Question 2

Comparison of social class differences in educational achievement

Answer 2

W/C compared to M/C:
More likely to start school unable to read
Do less well in National curriculum tests
Less likely to get places in best state schools
More likely to be placed in lower streams
More likely to uptake vocational education

Question 3

External factors

Answer 3

Intellectual development attitudes
Language
W/C subculture values
Level of parental education

Question 4

Internal factors

Answer 4

Labelling
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Streaming
Student subcultures

Question 5

Reasons for working-class underachievement

Answer 5

Lack of cultural capital
'Problem' schools in deprived areas
Culture class between home and school
Teacher evaluations e.g. self-fulfilling prophecy 
Parents attitude to education
Poverty
Cost of travel

Question 6

Cultural explanations

Answer 6

Parents attitude to education
Parents' level of education
attitudes and values
Bernstein restricted and elaborated code
Bourdieu's theory of cultural capital

Question 7

Criticisms of cultural explanations

Answer 7

Exaggeration
Overlooking practical difficulties and lack of self-confidence
Ignoring role played by school
Need for schools to change

Question 8

Evaluation for cultural deprivation

Answer 8

May be simply down to differences
May just have more practical difficulties in visiting schools
Language= schools problem

Question 9

Evaluation for material deprivation

Answer 9

Educational under performance linked to poverty
Nearly 4 million kids live in poverty
Most failing schools in low income areas

Question 10

Criticisms of labelling and self fulfilling prophecy

Answer 10

Labelling= deterministic idea
Unlikely all teachers share same label
Labels may be accurate