Analyse two factors outside schools that contribute to working class underachievement – 10 marks.

One cultural factor outside the school, that contributes to working class underachievement is parent’s education; Douglas (1964) argues working class parents place less emphasis on education, whilst middle class parents, emphasise the importance of success and high achievement, and this is because middle class parents tend to be very well educated. Interestingly, Feinstein (2008) argues that parents education contributes to their child’s academic achievement. For example, educated parents can socialise their children with stimulating academic books, that prepare them for the middle class educational system. Feinstein adds there are different parenting styles from educated and uneducated perspectives, educated parents emphasise discipline and high achievement, because they understand the importance of education system and its ability to offer opportunities in wider life. Uneducated parents have a fragmented parenting style, whereby they shout, and may hit their children, attempting to control their behaviour, rather than their academic life – this is because uneducated parents do not have a good understanding of the importance of education and there do not have the ability to prepare their children for the middle class system. Many uneducated parents have a fatalistic view, whereby they see education and future success as ‘it is what it is’, as they have no control over it. However, Keddie (1973) argues cultural deprivation is a myth and sees it as a victim-blaming explanation – she argues working class children are simply culturally different, not culturally deprived.

Another reason stems from material factors. Parent’s of the working class tend to be materially deprived, this meaning in income too, and may not afford spacious housing, this results in children living in an inadequate cramped space, that may have mould or damp – this could potential cause the child or children to fall sick and eventually miss school. Howard argues that diet and health is a huge factor contributing to academic failure or underachievement in working class children. Howard argues that children from low – income backgrounds, are also fed unhealthy food and this may mean they have low amounts of energy when coming to school, this could result in them sleeping in important lessons, and not understanding the work that is being taught. Additionally, the lack of space also means children will not have enough room to complete their homework. For teachers, a child not completing their homework, not only shows lack of academic interest, but a lack of understanding, and this may result in that particular child being streamed down into a lower set – unfortunately, because the child may feel insecure and uncomfortable talking about their inadequate housing, they may wish not to explain to teachers why they could not complete their homework. However, Williams would argue it is not a child’s fault for their material deprivation, it should be the school and the states role to improve the financial support of children.