Class (External)

Question 1

Give the 2 pieces of evidence for explaining class differences

Answer 1

• Boys at Eton public school - fees over 34,000 per year
• 83% of pupils with parents in higher professional class
• 44% of pupils in routine class

achieved 5/more A*-C passes at GCSE

Youth cohort study & longitudinal study of YP in England, 2010

Question 2

Briefly outline an explanation of class differences

Answer 2

M-C on average perform better and gap widens with age

Children of M-C do better at GCSE, stay longer in full time education, and take great majority of uni places

Question 3

Identify a popular explanation for class differences

Answer 3

Better-off parents can afford to send kids to private schools, which many believe provide a higher standard of education

• Average class sizes are less than half those in state schools
• Although only educate 7% of Britains schools account for nearly half of all students entering the elite uni’s of Oxford + Cambridge

According to the Sutton Trust, in a three year period - one public school alone - Eton - sent 211 pupils to Oxbridge, while over 1,300 state school sent none

Question 4

Give a study that shows how differences in development + achievement happen early

Answer 4

nationwide study by the Centre of Longitudinal studies found, by the age of 3, children from disadvantages backgrounds are up to one year behind those from more privilidged backgrounds

The gap widens with age

Some sociologists claim this is the result of CD

Question 5

What do sociologists argue on CD

Answer 5

Most of us begin to acquire the basic values,attitudes and skills needed for educational success through primary socialisation

This basic ‘cultural equipment’ includes things such as language, self-discipline, + reasoning skills

Question 6

Give a criticism according to CD theorists

Answer 6

Many W-C families fail to socialise their children adequately

These children grow up ‘culturally deprived’

That is they lack the cultural eqquipment needed to do well so UA

Question 7

Give the three main aspects of cultural deprivation

Answer 7

Language, parents’ education, W-C subculture

Question 8

How does language affect pupils

Answer 8

Affects cognitive development and ability to benefit from process of schooling