3.4.3- educational achievement

Question 1

what are the factors beyond school affecting educational achievement?

Answer 1

Socialisation
Material deprivation
Adults attitudes
Language
Job market
Education policies

Question 2

How does socialisation impact educational achievement?

Answer 2

it is within the family that children usually learn how to communicate with others the differences between right and wrong and how to share

there may be many differences in socialisation between families and might have an impact on children in school

Question 3

How does material deprivation impact educational achievement?

Answer 3

Lack of money can lead to overcrowded homes, inadequate nutrition and the lack of books and equipment that children need in school

This makes it difficult to study at home and can lead to poor school attendance through ill health

Question 4

how does adults attitudes impact educational achievement?

Answer 4

The level of interest and encouragement parent show in their children’s education can be a significant element in educational success

Low encouragement could lead to a negative self fulfilling outcome

Question 5

how does language impact educational achievement?

Answer 5

If English is not the child’s first language, they can be a disadvantage when they start school because their studies are in a foreign language

Question 6

how does the job market impact educational achievement?

Answer 6

there are more job opportunities for women today meaning they can have higher aspirations potentially driving up educational achievement

Whereas boys may question the need for educational qualifications as the traditional manual jobs they would’ve done in the past no longer exist.

Question 7

how can educational policies impact educational achievement?

Answer 7

The expansion of higher education (universities) is a factor in encouraging many people to continue their education post 18

Question 8

What did the Reform Act allow parents to do?

Answer 8

Parents could:
* Look at league tables to identify high-performing schools
* Access information through school brochures
* Pay for transport to higher performing schools
* Visit different schools to select the best one

These measures were aimed at increasing parental choice in education.

Question 9

What was the focus of the Labour Party from 1997 to 2010 regarding education?

Answer 9

The focus was to reduce inequality and provide an education system that gave everyone an equal chance of success

Tony Blair emphasized the importance of education during his tenure.

Question 10

What type of school was introduced by New Labour to tackle underperforming schools?

Answer 10

Academies

Academies are partially funded by local businesses.

Question 11

What initiative was introduced to support women returning to work?

Answer 11

Free childcare for every pre-school child

This policy aimed to facilitate women’s participation in the workforce.

Question 12

What was the purpose of Sure Start, introduced in 1999?

Answer 12

To provide early intervention and support for pre-school children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds

This initiative aimed to improve educational opportunities for these children.

Question 13

What financial change was made regarding university tuition during the Labour government’s term?

Answer 13

Tuition fees for university were introduced, paid for with student loans

Previously, students received a means-tested grant for living costs.

Question 14

What was the Educational Maintenance Allowance introduced for?

Answer 14

To encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds to stay in school after the age of 16

This allowance aimed to reduce dropout rates among these students.

Question 15

What conflict did Geoff Whitty identify in 2002 regarding Labour’s education policies?

Answer 15

The conflict between policies to tackle inequalities and marketisation developments

For example, Sure Start aimed to reduce inequalities while tuition fees deterred students from attending university.

Question 16

What was the sample size used in the study by Halsey, Heath, and Ridge?

Answer 16

8,000 males born between 1913 and 1952

The study aimed to analyze class inequalities in education.

Question 17

How many main groups did the study categorize individuals based on their father’s occupation?

Answer 17

Three main groups

The groups were service class, intermediate class, and working class.

Question 18

What are the three main groups identified in the study based on father’s occupation?

Answer 18

• Service class (professionals, administrators, and managers)
• Intermediate class (clerical or sales workers, self-employed, lower grade technicians and foremen)
• Working class (manual workers in industry and agriculture)

These classifications reflect the socioeconomic status of the individuals.

Question 19

What was the chance of a service class individual being at school at age 16 compared to a working class individual?

Answer 19

Four times as great

This indicates significant disparities in educational attendance based on social class.

Question 20

What was the chance of a service class individual attending university compared to a working class individual?

Answer 20

11 times greater

This statistic highlights the educational access disparities between classes.

Question 21

What correlation did the study find related to income and educational opportunity?

Answer 21

Correlation between income and educational opportunity

Factors like affordability of school uniforms and educational trips were noted.

Question 22

What two significant factors were found to influence educational success?

Answer 22

• Home encouragement and parental attitudes
• Uneven distribution of grammar schools

These factors contribute to educational achievement disparities.

Question 23

True or False: The social class achievement gap has diminished significantly since the study was conducted.

Answer 23

False

The gap remains relevant despite significant social changes.

Question 24

What contemporary organization is mentioned as illustrating the ongoing relevance of Halsey’s findings?

Answer 24

Sutton Trust

The Sutton Trust addresses educational inequality and social mobility.

Question 25

According to statistics, how do children from lower social classes perform academically compared to children from middle-class backgrounds?

Answer 25

Children from lower social classes achieve lower grades ## Footnote This reflects the ongoing impact of social class on educational outcomes.

Question 26

What factors combine to influence educational achievement according to Halsey's research?

Answer 26

* Material factors at home and school * Parental attitudes and encouragement ## Footnote Multiple interacting factors affect educational outcomes.

Question 27

What internal factors affect educational achievement of different social classes?

Answer 27

Teacher/pupil interactions play a significant role in educational achievement differences between social classes.

Question 28

What did Howard Becker find in his 1971 study?

Answer 28

Becker found that teachers judged pupils based on their appearance and conduct, with middle-class pupils more likely seen as ideal students.

Question 29

How does labelling affect pupils in schools?

Answer 29

Labelling can lead to pupils being placed in different ability groupings, impacting their educational achievement.

Question 30

What did Gillborn and Youdell discover about working-class pupils?

Answer 30

Gillborn and Youdell found that working-class pupils and some minority ethnic group members are less likely to be given the benefit of the doubt and are often allocated to lower sets.

Question 31

What is an anti-school subculture?

Answer 31

An anti-school subculture is formed when some pupils rebel against school, affecting their work and achievements.

Question 32

What factors can be associated with subcultures in schools?

Answer 32

Subcultures can be linked to social class, gender, and ethnicity.

Question 33

What is the functionalist perspective on education?

Answer 33

Functionalists are optimistic about the role of education for society, believing it promotes a meritocracy and allows talented pupils to advance individually.

Question 34

What do functionalists Davis and Moore claim about education?

Answer 34

They claim that education prepares people for their future roles, a process known as role allocation.

Question 35

How do functionalists view the relationship between education and the economy?

Answer 35

Functionalists believe that education responds to the needs of the economy and provides the right amount of workers for the particular skills that the economy demands.

Question 36

What is a criticism of the functionalist perspective on education?

Answer 36

The functionalist perspective has been criticised for its naive assumption that the education system benefits everyone.

Question 37

What do critics argue about the education system?

Answer 37

Critics argue that the top jobs in society are still primarily occupied by sons of rich white families.

Question 38

What do Marxists challenge in the education system?

Answer 38

Marxists challenge the functionalist consensus theory, arguing that the education system is not meritocratic.

Question 39

What is the Marxist view on meritocracy?

Answer 39

Marxists argue that meritocracy is little more than a myth to ensure that the system seems fair.

Question 40

How do Marxists view the role of the education system in capitalism?

Answer 40

Marxists see the education system as serving to reproduce the inequalities that prevail in capitalism.

Question 41

What do Marxists believe about private schools and Oxbridge?

Answer 41

Marxists point to the role of private schools and Oxbridge in providing the bulk of incumbents in elite positions in society.

Question 42

How are middle-class and working-class students prepared differently in education?

Answer 42

Middle-class students are encouraged to aspire to managerial and professional positions, while working-class students are prepared largely for mundane repetitive work.

Question 43

What role does education serve according to Marxists?

Answer 43

Education serves as a major socialisation agency, ensuring that children learn their respective class position.

Question 44

What do critics of the Marxist perspective argue?

Answer 44

Critics argue that the Marxist perspective is overly negative and fails to appreciate the opportunities education can offer to all, regardless of background.

Question 45

What is an example of an opportunity provided by education?

Answer 45

The recent expansion of higher education (universities) has helped open up society and opportunities.

Question 46

What is the primary focus of the feminist perspective in education?

Answer 46

The feminist perspective is primarily focused on gender relations and the patriarchal nature of the education system.

Question 47

What is a concern regarding the exam performance of working-class girls?

Answer 47

Despite improvements in girls' achievements over boys, the exam performance of working-class girls in terms of passes and grades remains a concern.

Question 48

What criticism do feminists face regarding gender issues in education?

Answer 48

Feminists have been criticised for failing to consider the issue of class differences sufficiently when considering gender issues in education.

Question 49

What concerns have arisen regarding boys in education?

Answer 49

There are now many concerns about boys, especially in terms of underperforming working-class boys.

Question 51

What legal reforms have influenced educational achievement for girls?

Answer 51

The Equal Pay Act 1970 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 have encouraged women to engage more in the labor market.

Question 52

How have legal reforms affected girls' motivation in education?

Answer 52

Greater career opportunities have inspired girls to work hard in school to achieve top positions.

Question 53

What significant education policy contributed to gender differences in education?

Answer 53

The Education Reform Act 1988 introduced the National Curriculum, making maths and science compulsory for all students up to age 16.

Question 54

What impact has the women's movement and feminism had on women's expectations?

Answer 54

They have improved the expectations and self-esteem of women, allowing them to look beyond traditional roles.

Question 56

What does the hidden curriculum historically convey about girls?

Answer 56

The hidden curriculum historically undermined girls by reinforcing the message that they were second best.

Question 57

How have girls' academic achievements changed since the 1980s?

Answer 57

Since the 1980s, girls as a group have outperformed boys, but there is still progress needed, particularly for working-class female attainment.

Question 58

What is meant by the 'feminisation of education'?

Answer 58

The 'feminisation of education' refers to schools becoming a female-dominated environment that benefits girls but makes boys feel less comfortable.

Question 59

What percentage of teachers were male in the 2016-17 school workforce statistics?

Answer 59

Less than one in three teachers are male, specifically 30.5 percent.

Question 60

What is the proportion of female teachers at the primary school level?

Answer 60

The proportion of female teachers at the primary school level is currently 82.4 percent and rising.

Question 61

According to Tony Sewell, how do boys and girls differ in their willingness to conform to school rules?

Answer 61

Girls are generally more willing to conform to school rules, whereas boys are not.

Question 62

What stereotypes do teachers often respond to regarding boys and girls?

Answer 62

Teachers often respond to the stereotype that boys are expected to be livelier and girls are expected to be more studious.

Question 63

What does the functionalist perspective emphasize about education?

Answer 63

The functionalist perspective emphasizes the opportunities education offers to anyone willing to work hard, benefiting all genders.

Question 64

What criticism is directed at the functionalist perspective regarding gender?

Answer 64

Functionalists are criticized for ignoring gender issues and promoting patriarchal attitudes through traditional gender roles.

Question 65

What is the Marxist perspective on the role of education?

Answer 65

The Marxist perspective sees education primarily as a means of reproducing capitalism.

Question 66

Who is Paul Willis and what did he study?

Answer 66

Paul Willis studied young working-class boys and demonstrated how masculinity influenced their anti-school subculture.

Question 67

What is Máirtin Mac an Ghaill's view on young working-class men?

Answer 67

Máirtin Mac an Ghaill sees the 'crisis of masculinity' as relevant to young working-class men who are low achievers in school and less successful in employment.

Question 68

What is a general criticism of the Marxist perspective?

Answer 68

A general criticism is that it focuses too much on social class while neglecting gender issues.

Question 69

What do feminists argue about schools and patriarchal values?

Answer 69

Feminists argue that schools promote patriarchal values through a gendered curriculum that disengages working-class girls.

Question 70

What negative impact do feminists attribute to the teaching profession?

Answer 70

Feminists accuse the teaching profession of negatively labeling girls and providing insufficient encouragement.

Question 71

How can teachers influence female students' performance?

Answer 71

With good female exam performance, teachers can create a self-fulfilling prophecy by labeling female students positively.

Question 72

What criticism do feminists face regarding their perspective?

Answer 72

Feminists are criticized for underestimating the changes in the position of females in education and employment.

Question 73

How is the teaching profession changing in terms of gender representation?

Answer 73

The teaching profession is becoming feminized, with more female teachers and head teachers acting as role models for female pupils.

Question 74

What effort has been made to attract girls into STEM subjects?

Answer 74

There has been a concerted effort to attract girls into STEM subjects.