Class and Achievement

Key Questions

• Importance of social class in students' experiences and outcomes.

• Usefulness of external explanations (material factors, cultural factors, marketisation, parental choice) for explaining class differences in achievement.

• Usefulness of internal explanations (labelling, streaming, subcultures, selection procedures) for explaining class differences in achievement.

Defining Social Class

• Main social classes and their definitions.

• Issues affecting students based on social class (money-related vs attitude-related).

• Understanding one's own social class.

Progression to Higher Education (HE) by Age 19

• Free School Meal (FSM) status used as a substitute for social class.

• HE Progression Rate: Non-FSM (46.8%) vs FSM (28.1%) with a progression rate gap of 18.7%.

Earnings Distribution by FSM Status

• Earnings at age 30 based on FSM status.

• The sustained attainment gap between FSM pupils and the national average.

External vs Internal Factors

• External factors: Material and cultural deprivation, marketisation and parental choice.

• Internal factors: Teacher labelling, streaming, pupil subcultures, selection procedures.

Material Factors

• Material deprivation: Lack of financial support affecting educational success.

• Key material factors include diet and health, housing, and financial costs of education.

Cultural Factors

• Cultural deprivation: Lack of correct values and attitudes needed for educational success.

• Elements influencing cultural factors include intellectual development, parental attitudes, and language differences.

Evaluation of Cultural Factors

• Arguments for and against views on working-class culture and educational success.

Compensatory Education

• Policies aimed at addressing deficiencies in material and cultural capital for working-class students.

• these include policies such as, sure start, education maintenance allowance, education action zones, excellence in cities, aim higher, pupil premium and free school meals.

Marketisation and Parental Choice

• Impact of the Education Reform Act (1988) on parental choice and its implications for class differences in educational achievement.

Key Definitions

• Labelling: Attaching meaning/definition based on stereotypes.

• Self-fulfilling prophecy: Acceptance of a label.

• Self-negating prophecy: Rejection of a label.

Processes Within School

• Labelling, streaming, pupil subcultures, and class identities affecting achievement.

• Teacher perceptions of ideal students and their impact on working-class students.

Analysis of Factors

• Interaction of internal and external factors affecting student achievement.

• Example: Material deprivation leading to negative labelling and differential treatment.