Education (Social Class and Education) Flashcards
Google Slides (48 cards)
How is a gap created in achievement? (Differential educational achievement)
Sociologists believe class has a powerful influence on a child’s chances of success in the
education system – which creates a gap in achievement
What happens to the achievement gap over time?
It gets wider as the child gets older
What are middle class students more likely to do?
Better in GCSEs
Stay in longer full time education
What percentage of pupils are privately educated?
Only 7% of British pupils are privately educated, but they make up 50% of the students at
Oxford and Cambridge.
External factors : Material Deprivation, what is this?
Lack of valuable resources that will aid
towards educational success (due to poverty)
What were Waldfogal & Washbrook’s ideas?
Housing(2010) poor children are more likely
to live in crowded, damp accommodation.
What were Marilyn Howard’s (2001) ideas?
Diet and health – poor children lack vital
vitamins and minerals leading to emotional and behavioural problems
What were Emily Tanner’s (2016) ideas?
Financial support – found that children from
poorer families were less likely to attend afterschool clubs and sports
clubs because of the cost of kit, equipment and transport.
What is cultural deprivation? (External Factors)
Is the lacking values and attitudes necessary for educational success.
Children who do not learn these are considered ‘culturally deprived’.
What are four main aspects of cultural deprivation?
Language
Parental Support
Attitudes and Values
Intellectual Development
Language : What did Basil Bernstein (1972) believe?
Believed that speech shapes students’ educational achievement
He distinguished two types of speech code.
-Restricted
-Elaborated
What are criticisms of Bernstein?
Rosen accuses Bernstein of creating a myth of
superiority
Explain Parental Support
Jack Douglas (1970) believed parental interest was the most important factor, he
found W.C parents were less likely to attend parents evening.
Explain attitudes and values
Barry Sugarman (1970) felt the working class developed four key features that made
their values of education distinctive. He saw this as a type of subculture.
Explain Intellectual Development
Leon Feinstein (2008) Middle class parents invested more in their child’s education by
taking them on educational outings, and buying educational resources.
What four features did Sugarman think the WC developed, and explain them?
Fatalism – Fate decides future, so no extra hard work will change the outcome.
Collectivism – When someone see’s their friendship group as more important than
their own individual success.
Immediate gratification – When someone does not want to wait for the reward of
hard work.
Present time orientation – When someone has no long-term goals, they only focus on
current plans/events.
Marketisation : Campos and Leech (2003) (External Factors)
Campos & Leech (2003) MC parents can afford houses in the catchment
areas of a schools that are highly placed in the exam league tables.
This is known as ‘selection by mortgage’
Drives up prices of houses and excludes WC parents.
What are the three types of capital?
- Social capital (who you know – social network)
- Educational capital (the education system respects their
values) - Economic capital (They have extra resources to use on
their education)
But, Cultural Capital is largely achieved using Economic Capital
Cultural Capital : Pierre Bourdieu
Pierre Bourdieu –
saw middle class
‘culture’ as a type of
wealth
= this gives the
middle class an
advantage
Sharon Gerwitz (1995) – looked at schools in London, what did she find about middle class parents?
Privileged Skilled choosers – able to use their cultural and economic capital to select the
best school possible for their child.
Sharon Gerwitz (1995) – looked at schools in London, what did she find about working class parents?
Disconnected local choosers - Working class parents who were restricted by their lack of
economic and cultural capital. It was difficult to understand school admission procedures.
Looked at safety and facilities rather than league tables. No money to travel to a school of their
choice.
Deskilled choosers – more likely to settle for a local school even if it does not have the best
results/reputation of success. Relied on people’s opinions of the school.
What is an evaluation of capital?
Compensatory education =
Policies intended to help children who face socio-economic
disadvantage.
E.g.
Education action zones 1997 (funding to schools)
Sure start 2000
(breakfast club/parental support classes/ reading classes)
What is an evaluation of cultural deprivation?
Middle classes are more likely to defer
gratification as they get more financial support
from parents
What is a criticism of Douglas’ claim that WC parents don’t go to parents evening?
Tessa Blackstone & Jo Mortimore (1994)
– working class parents may not have time to
attend parents evening
– more likely to work shifts
