External Factors Affecting Class Differences in Achievement - Material Deprivation

Material Deprivation
Refers to poverty and a lack of material necessities (e.g. adequate housing and income)

Poverty is closely linked to educational underachievement:

• Department of Education (2012) - under 1/3 of pupils eligable for free school meals recieve five or more GCSEs at A*-C including English and Maths
• Jan Flaherty (2004) - money problems in the family are a significant factor to childrens absence from school
• Exclusion and truancy are more likely for children from poorer families - unlikely to children return to mainstream education
• Nearly 90% of 'failing' schools are located in deprived areas 

Poor housing affects pupils' achievement both directly and indirectly:

Directly:

• Overcrowding - harder to study, less room for educational activities, nowhere to do homework, disturbed sleep from sharing beds or bedrooms
• Temporary Accomodation - may have to move frequently - constant changes of schools - disrupts education

Indirectly:

• Health and welfare impacts attendence to school
• Cold/Damp Housing - ill health 
• Temporary Accomodation - psychological distress - infections - accidents 

Marilyn Howard (2001)
Young people from poorer homes have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals 
Poor nutrition affects health - weakens immune system - increases absences - OR -  lowers energy levels - concentration difficulties in class

Richard Wilkinson (1996)
Among ten year olds
The lower the social class = the higher the rate of hyperactivity, anxiety and conduct disorders - negatively impact educational achievements

Jo Blanden and Stephen Machin (2007)
Children from low income families are more likely to engage in 'externalising' behaviour (e.g. fighting and tantrums) - disrupt their education 

Lack of Fiancial Support
Children have to do without equipment
Miss out on experiences that would enhance their educational achievement 

Emily Tanner et al (2003)
Cost of items such as transport, uniforms, books, computers, calculators, and sports, music and art equipment places a burden on poorer families 
Children have to make do with 'hand-me-downs' and cheaper but unfashionable equipment - may be isolated, stigmatised or bullied

Teresa Smith and Michael Noble (1995)
Poverty acts as a barrier to learning - inability to afford private schooling or tuition etc

Ridge
Lack of funds in low-income families - children often need to work
Children take on jobs such as baby-sitting, cleaning etc
Negatively affects educational achievement

Attitudes towards debt may deter W/C students from going to university

Claire Callender and Jon Jackson (2005)
W/C students are more debt aware - see debt as negative and something to be avoided
Most debt adverse students are over 5x less likely to apply to uni in comparison to those who are debt tolerant 

Increases in tutition fees - increased debt burden - deter more W/C students from applying

W/C students who go to uni - likely to recieve less financial support from their families 

Diane Reay (2005)
W/C students are more likely to apply to local universities - avoid extra living and travel costs 
Less oppoirtunity to go to highest status universities 
More likely to work part-time to fund studies - affects ability to gain higher class degrees 

Dropout rates are higher for universities with large proportions of poor students - 16.6% drop out rate at London Metropolitan with a large w/c intake - 1.5% drop out rate at Oxford with a large intake from private school