stephen Ball

• in his study of beachside comprehensive, Ball (1981) found that when the school abolished banding, the basis for students to polarise into subcultures was largely removed and the influence of anti school subculture declined
• polarisation disappeared but differentiation continued, teachers continued to catergorise students and were more likey to label m/c students as more able.
• the positive labeling of m/c students was reflected in better exam results suggesting that the self fullfilling prophecy had occured.
• Ball's study shows that class inequalities can continue due to teahcer labelling even with the effect of subcultures or streaming.
• beachside comprehensive school

  they were in the process of abolishing banding in favour of teaching mixed ability groups
• since Ball's study especially since the eduaction reform act 1998 there has been a trend towards more streaming and towards a variety of types of schools some of which have a more academic curriculum
• Since Ball's study ther has been new opportunities for school and teachers to differentiate between students on the basis of class, gender and ethnicity.
• polarisation


  he process where students, in response to differentiation (like streaming or setting), become divided into opposing groups, often forming pro-school and anti-school subcultures
• teacher labelling is another form of differentiation