To what extent does social class influence people's education in Britain?

3

Hello, I am a French student in Robert Badinter high school in Blois in the international class. As part of my schooling, I must make a presentation, so I need to do upstream research. For my topic, I chose "To what extent does social class influence people's education?" It would be interesting for me to have your insights on the question. Does social class influence people's education in Britain? If you think so, I would like to discuss it with you, because I would like to add the point of view of a student in my project.

Reply 1

McGinger

20

There are numerous books and articles on this subject :
Privately educated tighten their grip on Britain’s most powerful roles - The Sutton Trust
How Private Schools Shape the UK's Power Elite | Cambridge Home School Online
Book Review: Posh Boys: How the English Public Schools Ruin Britain by Robert Verkaik - LSE Review of Books
etc etc

Reply 2

Chloé Latouche

OP

3

Original post

by McGinger

There are numerous books and articles on this subject :
Privately educated tighten their grip on Britain’s most powerful roles - The Sutton Trust
How Private Schools Shape the UK's Power Elite | Cambridge Home School Online
Book Review: Posh Boys: How the English Public Schools Ruin Britain by Robert Verkaik - LSE Review of Books
etc etc

Thank you for these resources, I will look at them carefully

Reply 3

Supermature

11

To set the record straight, what educational researchers (of which I am one) have known for many years is that family background and social class are far more important factors in determining educational outcomes than the type of school attended. To quote Emma Smith, Professor of Education at the University of Warwick:

"One thing that educationalists do know, and have known for decades, is that the key determinant of academic success is the family. While some students succeed against the odds, for the majority, the family to which you are born will exert a greater influence on your future than the school you attend."

Smith E. (2018) Key Issues in Education and Social Justice. London: Sage, p.8

Reply 4

Supermature

11

Original post

by Chloé Latouche

Hello, I am a French student in Robert Badinter high school in Blois in the international class. As part of my schooling, I must make a presentation, so I need to do upstream research. For my topic, I chose "To what extent does social class influence people's education?" It would be interesting for me to have your insights on the question. Does social class influence people's education in Britain? If you think so, I would like to discuss it with you, because I would like to add the point of view of a student in my project.

Hello Chloé,

You might find this paper of some help:

https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/global-social-challenges/2025/01/16/educational-inequality-why-the-education-system-falls-short-for-the-working-class/

Note, in particular, the following passage:

"Educational inequalities among social classes in the UK remain significant, with the working class underperforming significantly compared to their middle and upper-class peers. The most significant factor contributing to this issue appears to be a child’s socioeconomic background [my emphasis]. More than 70% of children from the richest tenth of families earn five good GCSEs, compared with fewer than 30% from the poorest households. Additionally, children who are eligible for free school meals in England perform significantly worse at every stage of schooling (Tahir, I. 2022). There are multiple reasons for this disparity, the first being financial resources. Middle-class families can provide educational materials for their children that lower-income households may not be able to afford."

Also bear in mind that it is not only a matter of financial resources:

"However, financial factors are not the only reasons why working-class individuals underachieve. Factors such as cultural capital, parental attitudes, teacher expectations, socialisation, and self-esteem all play a role (tutor2u, 2020). Middle and upper-class parents tend to have higher aspirations for their children and place more pressure on them to succeed, as many would be expected to attend university, following the path of other family members."

Finally, access to, and choice of subject at the better universities for these middle and upper-class families is also very significant:

https://ifs.org.uk/news/family-background-has-important-impact-graduates-future-earnings-subject-and-institution

Hope that helps.

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 5

Chloé Latouche

OP

3

Original post

by Supermature

To set the record straight, what educational researchers (of which I am one) have known for many years is that family background and social class are far more important factors in determining educational outcomes than the type of school attended. To quote Emma Smith, Professor of Education at the University of Warwick:
"One thing that educationalists do know, and have known for decades, is that the key determinant of academic success is the family. While some students succeed against the odds, for the majority, the family to which you are born will exert a greater influence on your future than the school you attend."
Smith E. (2018) Key Issues in Education and Social Justice. London: Sage, p.8

Thank you very much for this quote, it's perfect for my oral presentation as an opening line.

To what extent does social class influence people's education in Britain?

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