White working-class boys, aspirations and attainment

There has been a lot of talk about white working-class boys and how they are becoming more disengaged with education. From academics writing reports and politicians trying to push schools to ensure all groups have high aspirations to rappers saying white working-class boys are becoming more and more put off entering further education.

A report by the Sutton Trust (2018) stated “white working-class pupils achieve the lowest grades at GCSE of any main ethnic group, with just a quarter of boys and a third of girls achieving 5 good GCSEs.” Strand (2014) found similar evidence, white working-class boys are the lowest academic achievers at 16 compared to other class groups.

International rapper Professor Green, has joined in the debate saying in The Guardian “for middle-class families, your education is your life. For working-class families, in some instances school is just school. You are not expected to do very well. You are expected to get out and do a job and earn. People have to be encouraged from early on to engage with education and think it’s for them.” (Weale, 2018).

The aspirations and attainment of white working-class boys go together. If students have higher aspirations and a positive support network around them they are more likely to achieve their full potential and potentially go onto further education.

Baars, Mulcahy and Bernardes tried to outline this in their study “The underrepresentation of white working-class boys in higher education” (2016). The report was interesting, thought provoking and highlighted several key facts; from teachers encouraging white working-class boys not to go to university, low expectations of parents, the perceptions of higher education to white working-class boys and, importantly to Baars, there being no set definition for white working class for higher education institutes to work towards (Havergal, 2016).

This report got me thinking about my own experience of high school, and how my current school works, which is an all-boys, inner city school, with the vast majority of the intake considered to be white working class.  

My experience was very similar to what the report above highlighted, being encouraged not to go to university, needing to find a job or apprenticeship after school and again after college. As a teacher of white working class boys I often hear the students discussing the same outcomes highlighted in the report by Barrs for when they leave school, or “I’m getting a labouring job with my uncle/dad, what do I need this for?”.

Due to the school’s location and determination to help focus the students and increase attainment. There are key dates set in the school calendar which help to raise awareness for parents and students to encourage alternatives to “working with uncle/dad”.  These key dates include; revision evenings, awards evenings, PSHE on work related learning and Industry Day.

These sessions are all planned with the student’s futures as key. Revision evenings are ran by members of staff, guest speakers are present and parents are invited in with their children to help teach them both revision methods and discuss the importance of GCSE and A-level grades. Awards evenings follow a similar pattern to revision evenings, parents are invited in with their children to celebrate different academic success’ and hopefully raise aspirations. PSHE is designed for students to research different jobs and have an idea of the skills and qualifications needed for these jobs, hopefully to help them pick their GCSE options.

Industry day is ran by school leaders and invites guest speakers from a range of careers from mechanics and engineers to marine biologists, doctors and teachers. The school tries to get alumni from the school to speak at these events, with students and parents being invited to attend specific workshops for their child.

These days are aimed at helping students in year eleven and eight (just before they pick GCSE options) focus their attentions and aim for careers which we as teachers and parents should be aiming for our students / children. This in turn should focus the student and give them high aspirations, increasing their attainment and allowing them to access higher education courses.

Moving forward, taking advice from the issues raised by Baars, Mulcahy and Bernardes (2016) and my own experiences and beliefs. I believe for white working-class boys to achieve they need to be reminded what is needed for them to reach their aspirations (if they are set low encourage to aim high). Students from all backgrounds not just high prior attainers should be encouraged to attend open university days / experiences where they are more than just a visitor, they are an active participant in the day. From taking part in lectures, helping in seminars and visiting different activities which the student union offer (such as football) where students can share their own experiences of school and university.

However, in reality, there are a series of complex factors which will also impact upon the attainment and aspirations of students, from the fees which students have to pay for university, the potential wages from getting an apprenticeship compared to university, relative’s experiences, to name a few. However, as professionals we need to be helping these students believe in themselves and aspire to achieve. This will would in turn, hopefully narrow the gap and thus provide  more white working class boys an opportunity to go to university.

Reference List

Baars, S., Mulcahy, E. and Bernardes, E. (2016). The underrepresentation of white working class boys in higher education The role of widening participation. Kings College London. [online] Available at: https://www.lkmco.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/The-underrepresentation-of-white-working-class-boys-in-higher-education-baars-et-al-2016.pdf [Accessed 20 Feb. 2018].

 

Haverga, C. (2016). White working-class boys in HE: no definition ‘prevents progress’. [online] The Times Higher Education. Avaliable at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/white-working-class-boys-in-higher-education-no-definition-prevents-progress#survey-answer [accessed 20 Feb. 2018].

 

Strand, S. (2014). ‘Ethnicity, gender, social class and achievement gaps at age 16: intersectionality and ‘getting it’ for the White Working Class’. Research Papers in Education, 29 (2), 131-171.

Sutton Trust. (2018). White working-class boys have lowest GCSE Grades as disadvantaged Bangladeshi, African and Chinese pupils show dramatically improved results - Sutton Trust. [online] Available at: https://www.suttontrust.com/newsarchive/white-working-class-boys-have-lowest-gcse-grades-as-disadvantaged-bangladeshi-african-and-chinese-pupils-show-dramatically-improved-results/ [Accessed 20 Feb. 2018].

 

Weale, S. (2018). Professor Green: white working-class boys becoming more disengaged. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/07/professor-green-white-working-class-boys-becoming-more-disengaged [Accessed 20 Feb. 2018].