Outline and explain two factors that affect the achievement of middle-class pupils in education (10 marks)

One factor is that middle-class parents have more disposable income to spend on educational books and toys from a young age, meaning they can develop cognitive patterns more suited to educational success. Feinstein argued that families with high income show a higher cognitive reasoning skill among children as young as two years old. Bernstein and Young argue that better educated, middle class parents have a higher money influx which can be spent on educational toys and books that working-class parents wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. These studies show that the higher the class of pupil the more likely they are to succeed in education, not only because they have access to resources to support their education, but also because parents can train them from a young age to adapt more easily to the requirements of academic success. However, this theory is criticised by Bourdieu from a Neo Marxist perspective. He argues that financial advantages are not the only cause of middle-class success. He argues that cultural capital also has a significant impact on middle class success. The middle-class have a higher cultural capital, meaning having the skills, norms and values required to succeed in education. Another factor is that middle-class pupils are less culturally deprived that working-class pupils. Bernstein argues that middle-class pupils use the elaborated speech code with extensive and complex vocabulary, it is typically the language code that is used by textbooks, exams and teachers. This means that middle-class pupils are more academically successful. In contrast to this, working-class pupils typically use the restricted speech code which has disjointed vocabulary and is usually grammatically incorrect. This highlights that middle-class pupils are more likely to achieve academic success. Secondly, Sugarman found that middle-class pupils have deferred gratification and are more individualistic. This means that they are geared towards putting effort into academic success because they believe it will help them in the long run and create success and financial stability in the future. However, cultural deprivation theory is criticised by some sociologists such as Marxists. Marxist sociologists argue that middle class pupils succeed because they are valued more in a capitalist society. For example, Althusser argues that education is an ideological state apparatus and therefore teaches working class people that they are meant to be in a lower position in society.