Patterns and trends of differential attainment and participation

Material Deprivation: Causes of underachievement frequently relate to low income, which can lead to lack of resources and substandard living conditions, negatively impacting a learner’s ability to succeed.
Cultural Deprivation: Posits that certain classes lack the appropriate cultural tools such as values, language proficiency, and aspirations needed for achievement in the education system.
Cultural Capital: Bourdieu’s concept suggests that middle-class students have advantages in education because the values, language, and habits they learn at home fit better with the norms of the school system.

Patriarchy: Feminists argue the predominantly male control in society influences educational attainment, with girls sometimes being devalued or overlooked.
Gender Stereotypes and Subject Choices: Traditional gender roles can lead boys and girls to opt for different GCSEs and A Levels, contributing to differential attainment.
Feminisation of Education: Some argue that the education system has become more ‘female-friendly’, leading to improved performance of girls.

Institutional Racism: Racism embedded as normal practice within society or an organisation can impact attainment levels and participation rates of minority-ethnic pupils.
Differential Achievement by Ethnicity: There is wide variation in attainment amongst different ethnic groups, with Chinese and Indian pupils generally performing better than White British, Black Caribbean, and Pakistani pupils.
Expectations and Stereotypes: Teachers’ expectations and negative stereotypes can impact the performance of ethnic-minority pupils.

Combination of factors: Often, it’s not just one factor influencing attainment but a combination of gender, social class, and ethnicity, for example a white middle-class girl is likely to have a different experience from a working-class black boy.

Policies and Initiatives: Various government policies and initiatives aim at reducing educational inequality, including targeted funding, afterschool clubs, mentorship and more.
Multicultural and Anti-Racist Education: Incorporating multicultural content into the curriculum and adopting anti-racist policies may help address the ethnic disparity in educational attainment.
Gender-specific Strategies: Strategies that challenge traditional gender norms and roles in education, such as encouraging girls to take up STEM subjects, can contribute to reducing differential attainment.