Internal school factors

Teacher/pupil relationships- Teachers may label students based on class, gender, ethnicity which can lead to SFP resulting in underachievement. Positive labels often lead to higher achievement

Pupil identities and subcultures-

Pro-school subcultures- Students may conform to school rules as they see education as a path to success

Anti-school subcultures- People from WC backgrounds may reject school values and form sub-cultures that view school negatively. Can lead to underachievement (Willis)

The hidden curriculum- Refers to lessons taught in school that arent in the traditional curriculum (obedience, punctuality, respect authority)- Marxists argue that this serves to maintain class inequality by preparing WC students for subordinate roles

Organisation of teaching and learning- Streaming and setting based on ability can reinforce class inequalities- WC students are most likely to be placed in lower sets leading to lower expectations and less challenging work

The significance of educational policies

Selection- Policies around selection (11+ exam, grammar school) have been controversial- Critics argue they favour middle-class students and cause class division

Marketisation- Introduction of marketisation (school league tables) aimed to raise standards by introducing competition between schools- This has been criticised for increasing inequality, as MC families can navigate this better as areas with higher house prices have better schools

Privatisation- Rise in privatisation of education- with private companies becoming involved with the running of schools- this reflects neoliberal values of efficiency and competition but raises concerns about education being commodified

Policies for equality of opportunity- Policies have aimed to reduce inequality (sure start program, free school meals) however, effectiveness has been mixed

Globalisation and educational policy’s- Globalisation has had a big impact on education, governments increasing educational reforms inspired by international comparisons (PISA rankings)- Led to focus on schools for a global economy but also concerns about the narrowing of curriculums to emphasis measurable outcomes such as test scores