Factors Affecting Educational Achievement: Ethnicity (AQA GCSE Sociology): Exam Questions

Source: Adapted from Department for Education

Identify and explain one in-school factor which might account for the differences in educational achievement between ethnic groups shown in Item C.

What term is commonly used by sociologists to describe a curriculum that is biased, coming from the point of view of one culture?

Item D

In 1981 sociologist Stephen Ball undertook a case study of a comprehensive school and examined the way it was organised. The school used a banding system. Students were placed into one of three bands (similar to streaming). Band 1 contained the most able students and Band 3 contained the least able students. Ball compared the experiences of those students in Band 1 with those placed in Bands 2 and 3.

Ball noted that each band was taught differently and followed different educational routes. Only students in Band 1 were encouraged to have high aspirations and to study academic courses. During his observations, Ball noticed that students’ behaviour changed as a result of the bands that they were placed in. Ball linked this to the teacher expectations of each band. For example, Band 1 was expected to be hardworking and well behaved, while Band 2 students were expected to be difficult and uncooperative. This led to negative changes in the behaviour of Band 2 students.

Source: Ball, S. J, Beachside Comprehensive. A Case Study of Secondary Schooling, 1981.

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that ethnic differences in educational achievement are mainly due to factors inside schools.

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that ethnic differences in educational box achievement are mainly due to factors inside schools.