Differential Educational Achievement by Ethnicity

Ethnicity and Educational Achievement

This section explores the differences in educational attainment among different ethnic groups in the UK.

Patterns of Achievement

Not all ethnic groups perform at the same level acadically. For instance, Chinese and Indian students often attain higher levels than their peers from other backgrounds.
On the other hand, Black-Caribbean and Pakistani students are usually lower down the achievement scale.
It’s also important to note that not every student from a specific ethnic group will achieve at the same level. There are other variables, such as social class and gender, which can affect this.

Cultural Factors

Cultural Deprivation theory proposes that some ethnic groups are underachieving because their home culture fails to equip them with the necessary skills and attitudes for educational success.
Bernstein’s work on speech codes is often linked to the cultural deprivation theory.
However, this perspective has been criticised for blaming the victim. Critics argue that it overlooks structural factors such as institutional racism and socio-economic factors.

Material Factors

Some ethnic groups might face economic disadvantages that may impact their educational achievement.
Factors like poverty, housing issues and lack of resources can hamper a student’s ability to succeed in education.

Institutional Factors

The concept of institutional racism can provide potential explanation of differential achievement for ethnic groups.
Studies such as Macpherson Report provide evidence for institutional racism in the UK.
Furthermore, studies by Gillborn and Mirza suggest that teachers may have ‘racialised expectations’ which lead to self-fulfilling prophecies.

Policies and Initiatives

Various policies and initiatives have been implemented to tackle ethnic education gaps.
Policies such as Aimhigher were targeted at increasing the attainment of underachieving groups.
Critics argue that these policies might not fully address the multi-dimensional causes of ethnicity-related achievement gaps.

Remember, while ethnic differences in achievement are observable, they are not definitive nor are they purely caused by a student’s ethnic background. There are a range of factors at play, each of which contribute to the overall performance of a student in the education system. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the intersectionality of ethnicity with other factors - notably socio-economic class and gender when studying differential educational achievement by ethnicity.