Conclusion
Of course pinning all educational underachievement on social class is a generalisation. Not all children from upper class families go into higher education and subsequently take up high social-status careers earning a high income. And equally not all the children of semi-skilled or unskilled workers leave school or further education at the age of 16 or 18, and work in low-status and low-paid jobs. However, with the data explored, i have found that there is a correlation. Although social class intersects with gender and ethnicity in complex ways to reproduce educational inequality, it remains the strongest predictor of educational achievement in Britain. Striking inequalities are witnessed during early years education, and throughout compulsory schooling. These inequalities are reflected in the rates of participation by working-class young people in further and higher education
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Francis, B., Skelton, C. & Read, B. (2010) ‘The simultaneous production of educational achievement and popularity: how do some pupils accomplish it?’ British Educational Research Journal, 36(2): 317-340
Giddens, A. (2006) Sociology (5th Edition), Cambridge: Polity
Goodman, A. & Gregg, P. (eds) Joseph Rowntree Foundation, The Importance of Attitudes and Behaviour for Poorer Children's Educational Attainment, [online] Available at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/poorer-children-education-full.pdf
Kerr, K. and M. West (2010) (eds) BERA insight: Schools and Social Inequality, London: BERA.
Lupton, R., Heath, N. and Salter, E. (2009) Education: New Labour's top priority in Hills, J., Sefton, T. and Stewart, K. (eds) Towards a more equal society? Poverty, inequality and policy since 1997, Bristol: Policy Pres.
Mills, C.W. (1970) The Sociological Imagination, Harmondsworth: Penguin
National Equality Panel (2010) An Anatomy of Economic Inequality in the UK, London: Government Equalities Office
O'Bryne, D. (2011) Introducing Sociological Theory, London: Pearson
Sodha, S. and J. Margo (2010) "A generation of disengaged children is waiting in the wings...", London: DEMOS.