As you begin your studies of relationships between social class and educational achievement., note that social class itself is a complex concept which is analysed from different sociological perspectives [Marxism, Weberiansm, Functionalism, New Right] and that in the UK , there have been different approaches to the definition and measurement of social class {Registrar General’s Classification, NS SEC Classification, Great British Class Survey]. In reality, the boundaries between the different social classes are far from clear and detailed information on these issues is provided here.
More generally , an individual’s social class position might be assessed in terms of some combination of his/her wealth, income and occupation and the current UK class structure is currently officially defined in terms of the NS SEC class schema which contains 7 social classes based upon occupation together the never worked/long tern unemployed and full time students as additional categories. Within this schema, classes 6 and 7 [semi-routine and routine occupations] are usually described as working-class categories and they account for 22.5% of the overall class structure. In the 2021 Census. 8.5% of the population were in the Never worked/long term unemployed category and many of these people could also be described as working class.
In the early 21st Century, pupils were classified in terms of the NS SEC classes of the parents and on this basis, it was shown that there were significant social class differences in education achievement. However, the Youth Cohort Surveys were soon discontinued and more recently data have been collected on the educational achievements of pupils eligible and ineligible for free school meals and free school meal eligibility has been taken to be a proxy for working class membership. Clearly however, it is a very inaccurate proxy because many working-class children live in families which although not affluent, are not eligible for free schools meals
For some long term data on Social Class , Ethnicity, Gender and Patterns of Educational Achievement click here . It is abundantly clear there have been long term social class differences in educational achievement at all levels of the education system.
You may click here for more recent data to 2024. Links are also provided so that you can update these data in future years.
| For two documentaries on Poor Kids click here and here
For a Guardian article on the attainment levels of poorer high- ability children click here. For a podcast in which Professor Diane Reay discusses Education and Class - Click Here For an article from the Times Educational Supplement by Mary Bousted. "Schools cannot fix the impact of poverty alone." - Click Here October 2018 For an article from The Conversation By Gill Main entitled "Parents and children living in poverty have the same aspirations as those who are better off" - Click Here September 2018 The Childhood Origins of Social Mobility - Click Here
Part Section List• Introduction • Part 1: Explaining Social Class Differences in Educational Achievement: IQ Theories - Click Here • Part 2 Sociological Explanations of Social Class Differences in Educational Achievement: Cultural Deprivation - Click Here • Part 3 : Sociological Explanations of Social Class Differences in Educational Achievement: Cultural Difference - Click Here • Part 4 Sociological Explanations of Social Class Differences in Educational Achievement: Material Economic Differences - Click Here • Part 5: Sociological Explanations of Social Class Differences in Educational Achievement. Some More Recent Studies - Click Here Learning ObjectivesTo understand four different main approaches to the analysis and explanation of social class differences in educational achievement [ Unit 4a]; 1. IQ Theories [ Part 1]; 2. Theories of Cultural Deprivation [ Part 2 ]; 3. Theories of Cultural Difference [ Part 3]; 4. Theories based upon Differences in Material Circumstances [ Part4]; 5 To consider the findings of some recent studies [Part 5]. To gain familiarity with the key concepts used in this area of Sociology. To discover the main conclusions of a range of relevant sociological studies. To evaluate some of the strengths and weaknesses of the studies used in these Units. Please note that the fifth sociological approach focusing on the organization of the schools themselves will be outlined in the following document. |
Introduction
In a previous document it was shown that significant social class differences in educational achievement exist at all levels of the UK education system. Thus from the 1950s onwards sociologists have regularly pointed to the progressive under-representation of working class students in:
higher streams in primary (i.e. middle schools);
numbers passing the 11+ examination in the era of Tripartite Secondary Education and currently in local education authority areas where selective secondary education continues to exist;
numbers in higher streams in grammar schools and subsequently in comprehensives;
numbers remaining in school after the minimum school leaving age;
numbers passing O levels, gaining high grade GCSE passes and passing A levels;
numbers enrolled on undergraduate courses;
numbers involved in post graduate study.
My aim in the following 5 Units is to trace the development of the sociological debates around the causes of social class differences in educational achievement via the consideration of several of well known sociological studies ranging from the 1960s to the early 21st Century. I have included materials from some relatively early studies partly to enable students to appreciate the historical evolution of these debates and partly because , on a more practical level, references to the early studies do often appear both in current Sociology textbooks and ,occasionally, in recent research papers suggesting that some familiarity with these earlier studies is still desirable.
Because of the complex and controversial nature of Sociology and the possible limitations of sociological research methods it may be difficult or indeed impossible to state sociological conclusions objectively and with certainty. Controversy certainly abounds in this area of the Sociology of Education but I have tried to present a summary assessment of the relative importance of the different theories and studies which would be widely accepted among most [but not all] sociologists.
| Activity. Please answer briefly the following preliminary questions.
1. Consult a dictionary and write down your dictionary’s definition of “Intelligence”. 2. Briefly state how the dictionary definition might be extended to provide a fuller explanation of the meaning of “Intelligence”. 3. Give two examples of positive attitudes that might promote educational achievement. 4. Give two examples of negative attitudes which might inhibit educational achievement. 5. State briefly how levels of household wealth and income might affect educational achievement. |
- Explaining Social Class Differences in Educational Achievement.
Five broad types of theory have been used to explain social class differences in educational achievement. They are:
- so-called IQ [Intelligence Quotient ] theories in which it is argued that social class differences in genetically transmitted intelligence contribute significantly to the explanation of social class differences in educational achievement;
- theories in which it is argued that social class differences in educational achievement may be explained in terms of social class differences in cultural circumstances which, on average, operate to the relative advantage of upper and middle class students in the education system. It will be important here to distinguish between
- theories based upon cultural deprivation
- and theories based upon cultural difference;
- theories in which it is argued that social class differences in educational achievement may be explained in terms of social class differences in material or economic circumstances which ,on average, operate to the relative advantage of upper and middle class students in the education system;
- theories which suggest the individual schools and the UK education system as a whole may well operate to confer relative advantage, on average to upper and middle class students. These latter theories will be considered in the following document entitled “Educational achievement and social class: the schools.”
For Part 1: Explaining Social Class Differences in Educational Achievement: IQ Theories - Click Here