The links between social class and educational achievement Essay

The links between social class and educational exploitThere have been many theories about social class and educational acquirement and this act will concentrate on the conflict theory and the functionalist theory.This essay will examine the links between class and achievement. It will describe and critically analyse the different sociological theories on education relating to class, and apply these theories to educational experiences, structure and practices. The different perspectives will be used to analyse inequality in social intercourse to different social classes in the UK. This essay will as well as provide evidence of inequality in British education and identify and evaluate key policy developments in education provision in relation to social classFunctionalist theory focuses on the ways the education system as a whole meets the needs of society. It emphasises the interdependence of the social system and stresses the go and behaviours that nourish it. Durkheim (cited in Haralambos et al 2000777) saw the major function of education as the transmission of societys norms and values. Functionalist theory believes that schools should serve intellectual, semipolitical and social purposes (Sadovnik et al 2001). Functionalists believe that schools foster the value of equality of opportunity by placing pupils in the same situation in the classroom (Haralambos et al 779). They maintain that education sorts students based on their ability, as argued by Parsonsstudents conduct is assessed against the yardstick of the schoolrules their achievement is measured by their performance inexaminationsthe same standards ar applied to allstudents regardless of ascribed characteristics such as sex, race, family... ...will have long term positive results (Haralambos et al 2004 p621). Sure start was criticised that its impact on children and their parents was unsatisfactory. just it is too early to assess its impact on childrens formal education (ibid). These po licies have been created because there is a LINK between class and achievement for example working class pupils do less well in school.SummaryThis essay has discussed and critically analysed the different social theories of education relating to class, it has applied these theories to educational experiences, structures and practices. It has addressed different social theories of inequality in relation to social classes. This essay has also provided evidence of inequality in British education and last identified and evaluated key policy developments in education provision in relation to social class.