If you used Clearing in 2024, how did you find it?

Marking some pre year 13 summer work

Please pls could someone check if these answers to these questions are high enough standard.

Outline two MATERIAL FACTORS that may affect social CLASS DIFFERENCES in achievement (4 marks)

One material factor is the lack of resources a working class (WC) student may have in comparison to a middle class (MC) student. For example, a MC student would be able to have textbooks that would help them further expand or aid their knowledge outside of school, whereas a WC student may not be able to have that.

Another factor is the commute fees a student may have to pay for. WC students may not be able to finance this and could possibly be regularly late for school or cause them to move to a lower status school that they could afford.

Outline three ways in which the CHARACTERISITICS OF SCHOOLS may be similar to the CHARACTERISITICS OF WORKPLACES. (6 marks)

One characteristic is the hierarchy of authority, teachers have greater authority over students while senior leadership roles have greater authority over both. Similarly, supervisors have greater authority over assistants and managers have greater authority over both.

Another characteristic is both institutions are based on alienation, school students have limited control over their time and what they have chosen to study. In the workplace, employees have limited control over the production process.

The last characteristic is that both institutions are based on competition, at schools’ students are competing for high grades and at work places, employees compete for high wages.

Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which PROCESSES WITHIN SCHOOLS may affect PUPILS' IDENTITIES. (10 marks)

One way is labelling, Becker stated that teachers are more likely to label middle class (MC) students as ideal and idolise them due to their appearance, cultural capital and status. This means they will be prioritised, focused on and advised more than a working class (WC) pupil will be. All of this would lead to the MC pupil being more likely to join pro-school subcultures and/ or achieve higher, ultimately becoming part of their pupil identity. However, a WC student is likely to be labelled negatively, they lack most or all qualities a teacher would use to identify an ideal pupil, therefore resulting in a negative experience with little to no prioritisation. This could lead to WC pupils joining anti-school subcultures and possibly fulfilling a label (Rosenthal and Jacobson) a teacher would have given them. On the other hand, this is not applicable to all students. This theory is too deterministic, the labels don’t always stick and the negativity can promote motivation.

Another way is the curriculum, which is catered to MC students due to teachers speaking in the same language code as them (elaborate code), textbooks and most extracurricular help would also be in the same language code. This would disadvantage the WC as they would have to learn a new language code to understand and deepen their understanding. The WC could become discouraged by this, choosing to instead put their time into other matters, which could be creating a high status within their peer group which could be seen by teachers as disengaging and disrespectful. Possibly singling them out and further disadvantaging them, creating an anti-school identity for the student.