ethnicity and differential achievement in education

higher levels of achievement

chinese pupil are highest achievers at gcse indian pupils also perform above the national average

students who are from mixed ethnicity backgrounds tend to perform above the natioal average at gcse

female black and male asian ground have some of the highest rates of students entering higher education

lower levels of achievement

fewer blavk puils get 5 A* to Cs passes at GCSE than other minority ethnic groups

roma, white and banglashi students are teh least likely to continue into higher education

there are probabily more than one factor that effect the statisics and some are probabilty social and some ecomonic factors

some people say that inteligence is inherited for example people underachieve becuse they've inherited a low IQ

however IQ tests can be biased. sometimes they ask things that aren't really a test of brains but really a test of cultural knowledge

the swann report found that if you took into account social adn economic factors there were no significant differences in IQ whatssoever between differenet ethnic groups

labelling theory says that teachers have different ecpectations of different ethnic minority groups

gillborn- found that teachers negatively label black students. african caribbean studets were see as a challenge to school authority and were more likely to be excluded from school. he calls this the myth of the black challenge

teachers had high expectations of asian students which could lead to a self forfilling phrophacy of success. in contrast negative labelling could result in a self forfilling phrophacy of failiure.

the school curriculum could also be ethnocentric for example that it might fit the mainstream white middle class culture better than other ethnicities .

it could also be europe centered too.

languages in the national curriculum are mainly european. even though mandarin chiease is being taught more, kids usually learn french and german

assemblies, school holidays and even hisotry lessons may not fit with the culture and history of particular groups

some sociologists see british education as insitutionally racist. this is where policies and attitudes unintentionally discriminate against ethnic minority groups

wright found that even though members of staff said that they were committed to equil opportunities

asian girsl got less attention from teachers and felt there cultural traditions were disapproved of for example they might get told of for wearing a headscarf if it isn't part of the school unitofrm

african caribbean boys were more likely to get punished and sent out of  class

some sociologists say that these factors may lead ro low self estreem for ethic minories

coard said that black students are made to feel inferior in british schools

evaluation

mirza found that black girls had positive self esstem and high asperations. the girls experieced discrimination but had statagies to minimise the effects of racism. it was't lwo self esteem that affected their achievement - it was being unwilling to ask fro help or unwilling to choose certain subjects

- language can be a barrier fir education frim immigrant families when they first arrive in the uk

- however the swann report found that language didn't effect progress for later generations

- driver and ballard also found that asian children whose first language was not english were as good at english as there classmates by the age of 16

- labelling theorists would say that language might not be a barrier but dialets and accents might influence teacher expectations and leas to negative labelling. for example a teacher might assume that a child isn't good at english becuse they ahve a foreign accent and so put them in a lower set

-some studies say that faqmily life veries for different groups and this can infuence achievement

- driver and ballard - say that the close knit extented families and high perental expectations increase levels of achievement in asian communities

- archer and francis found that chinese parents saw education as hugely important and this seemed to create a desire for achievement in asia families

-some sociologists say that high levels of divorce and single parenthood in african - carabbean households could result in material deprivation (new right)

-on the other hand the independence of african caribbean women can mean that girls get positive role models

the swann report found that socio-economic satus was a factor in lower levels of acievement in african carabbean pupils

pakistani, banglaseshi and african carabbean groups are more likely to be in lower class positions such as roughtine occuoations and elementary occupations. this may result in poor housing, periods of unemployment, poverty and material deprivation

some recent studies have claimed that prejudice in society may contribute ti these lower class positions. research my the joseph rowntree foundation found that ethnic minority workers in low paid jobs face barriers to promotion

free school meals are given to children from families on certain financial benifits so they can be a good indecator of material deptivation.

chinese, african asian and indian groups are more likely to be in higher class positions and less likely to experience material deprivation

recent studies have claimed that prejudice in society may contribute to these lower class positions. reseach by the joseph rowntree foundation found thast ethnic minority workers in lower paid jobs often face barriers to promotion

free school meals are given to children on certain finantual benifits so they can be a good indicator of material deprivation