Class differences in achievement

Social Class

A broad group of people who share a similar economic situation like occupation and ownership of wealth

Working class

Those in manual jobs involving physical work and are literally working with their hands

Middle Class

Those in jobs that does not require heavy physical effort, are usually performed in offices and involves paperwork or computer work of various kinds

Upper Class

A small social class that are the main owners of society’s wealth

Examples of upper class individuals

Wealthy industrialists, land owners and traditional aristocracy

Under Class

A social group that are in some ways different from, and excluded from the rest of society

How social class matters

• Working class earn less than middle class and are more likely to become unemployed

• Those in lower classes are 3 times more likely to be smokers, 5 times more likely to die of lung cancer than those in upper class

• The infant mortality rate is twice as high for those born in lower classes than upper class

What data shows on working class individuals

• Working class are more likely to start school unable to read

• Working class students are less likely to get places at the best state schools

• Working class students are more likely to be placed in lower sets/streams

• Working class students are more likely to leave school at the minimum age

• Working class students are more likely to undertake vocational courses if they stay in education after 16/17

The gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers

• Disadvantaged pupils in England are 18.1 months behind their peers at 16 years

• The gap at primary school is 9.1 months and has increased for the first time since 2007

The gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers in terms of ethnicity

• Gypsy/Roma pupils are 34 months behind White British pupils at GCSE level

• Chinese heritage pupils are 23.9 months ahead at GCSE level

• Black Caribbean pupils were 6.5 months behind in 2011 but this gap widened to 10.9 months

Internal Factors

Factors within schools and the education system such as; relationships between students and teachers, and inequalities between schools

External Factors

Factors outside of the education system such as; the influence of home, family background and wider society

Material Factors

Basic necessities like adequate diet, housing, clothing or the money to buy these things

Cultural Factors

The knowledge, attitudes, values, language and abilities