Ethnicity and Educational Achievement

Which ethnic groups achieve the highest results in education?

Chinese and Indian pupils.

How do White British pupils perform on average?

Around the national average.

Which ethnic groups tend to have lower average achievement?

Black Caribbean and Pakistani pupils.

: Give two reasons for higher achievement among Chinese and Indian pupils.

• Strong parental support

• High expectations of education

Give two factors linked to lower achievement among some ethnic groups.

• Material deprivation

• Racism and labelling in schools

How has ethnic achievement changed over time?

Overall achievement has improved, but gaps remain.

Have ethnic achievement gaps disappeared?

No — gaps have narrowed but still exist.

What did Gillborn and Mirza argue about ethnicity and achievement?

Ethnic inequalities in education are persistent and linked to racism.

What does the interaction of class and ethnicity show?

Class strongly affects achievement within all ethnic groups.

How does gender interact with ethnicity?

Gender differences exist within ethnic groups, affecting outcomes.

Who tends to achieve higher: middle-class or working-class pupils?

Middle-class pupils, regardless of ethnicity.

Give an example showing ethnicity does not act alone.

: Middle-class Black pupils may outperform working-class White pupils.

What key phrase should you use in exam answers on ethnicity and achievement?

“Ethnicity interacts with class and gender.”