In June 2013, OFSTED carried out a report which exposed how white working class children underachieved in education. The results showed that children that were entitled to free school meals were lower performing in education at 16, only representing 31% of the group achieving 5 or more GCSE’s at A* to C grade. This statistic is of high importance and Sir Michael Wilshaw (Her Majesty’s chief inspector) explained that the size of the working class group meant that it is a major issue needs to be resolved (House of Commons, June 2014, p5). Cultural Deprivation theorists believe that basic skills and values required for Educational achievement is acquired through primary socialisation and that the working class are deprived of this socialisation.
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According to Bernstein, members of the middle-class use both codes whereas the working class code is limited. This theory was proven by both working class and middle class children describing what they saw on various pictures; the working class used the restricted language which wasn’t easily understand by others whereas the middle class did the opposite. This explains underachievement as the working classes written and verbal skills are devalued by the education system and isn’t used in exams or textbooks, therefore children fall behind through lack of understanding (Haralambos & Holborn, 2008, …show more content…
She explains that educational failure is more prominent as society becomes more unequal and that each individual is responsible for their own success within education and their career. According to Reay, the working class are in the mindset of immediate gratification and lack the confidence to pursue a highly qualified career; the middle class on the other hand are future orientated through socialisation and parental support, therefore striving to develop as individuals and achieve the most possible based on the image of a cosmopolitan lifestyle. Therefore education can be seen as a divide between those striving for success as to contribute to a society that is always developing and those who lack the confidence and ability to succeed; it caters for winners of society and reinforces the position of losers. This divide is vital as to increase the value of educational success; if all individuals were able to gain the same outcome then the significance of education wouldn’t be as high. From this perspective, working class individuals are to be blamed for their underachievement as well as it being societies way of containing and pacifying the working class rather than to liberate and education them (Reay D, 2010,
According to Bernstein, members of the middle-class use both codes whereas the working class code is limited. This theory was proven by both working class and middle class children describing what they saw on various pictures; the working class used the restricted language which wasn’t easily understand by others whereas the middle class did the opposite. This explains underachievement as the working classes written and verbal skills are devalued by the education system and isn’t used in exams or textbooks, therefore children fall behind through lack of understanding (Haralambos & Holborn, 2008, …show more content…
She explains that educational failure is more prominent as society becomes more unequal and that each individual is responsible for their own success within education and their career. According to Reay, the working class are in the mindset of immediate gratification and lack the confidence to pursue a highly qualified career; the middle class on the other hand are future orientated through socialisation and parental support, therefore striving to develop as individuals and achieve the most possible based on the image of a cosmopolitan lifestyle. Therefore education can be seen as a divide between those striving for success as to contribute to a society that is always developing and those who lack the confidence and ability to succeed; it caters for winners of society and reinforces the position of losers. This divide is vital as to increase the value of educational success; if all individuals were able to gain the same outcome then the significance of education wouldn’t be as high. From this perspective, working class individuals are to be blamed for their underachievement as well as it being societies way of containing and pacifying the working class rather than to liberate and education them (Reay D, 2010,