Social Class and Achievement

• Statistics show there is a clear link between social class and achievement. Trends show that the lower a child's social class, the lower their achievement.
• Statistics show there is a clear link between social class and achievement. Trends show that the higher a child's social class, the higher their achievement.
• There is no easily available data on the social class of parents and children in school. One way researchers attempt to measure social class is whether you are eligible for free school meals. You are eligible for free school meals if you have a low income or if you receive certain benefits (e.g. income support)
• Statistics show children eligible for free school meals:

  • are more likely to start school unable to read
  • are more likely to be placed in lower streams and sets
  • fewer than 14% of grades for students on free school meals were Level 7 (A) or above compared with over 31% for pupils who are not eligible for the benefit
  • are less likely to go to university
• Everyone should be able to achieve in state schools but they can't because of their social class
• Schools receive pupil premium funding. This is additional funding for state-funded schools to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities and to 'close the gap' between them and their peers.

  This means that schools get more money to help disadvantaged students to achieve by giving them more free support.
• Pupil premium is there to close the gap