Ethnicity and Educational Achievement - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

11 original exam-style questions - 4 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

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This topic is chapter 4 of GCSE Sociology: Education Practice Book.

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4.4 Ethnicity and Educational Achievement

AQA 8192 · about 50 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Use sociological vocabulary and name sociologists where you can.

Which sociologist carried out classroom observation research finding that some teachers held lower expectations of Black pupils?

A) Cecile Wright
B) Sue Sharpe
C) Ann Oakley
D) Diane Reay

(Total for Question 1 is 1 mark)

State one way government or school policy has tried to address ethnic inequality in educational achievement.

(Total for Question 2 is 2 marks)

Some sociologists, such as Gillborn and Wright, emphasise institutional factors such as teacher expectations and school policy as the main explanation for ethnic differences in achievement. Others emphasise cultural, language or community factors.

Evaluate the view that institutional factors within schools, rather than cultural or family background, are the main explanation for differences in achievement between ethnic groups. In your answer you should refer to sociologists' views and consider more than one explanation.

(Total for Question 3 is 12 marks)

Sociologists usually measure 'achievement' using exam results, but this method has strengths and limitations.

(a)Explain one limitation of using exam results alone to compare achievement between ethnic groups.(2)

(b)Explain one strength of using exam results for this comparison.(2)

(Total for Question 4 is 4 marks)

Explain one similarity between how sociologists explain achievement gaps linked to social class, gender and ethnicity.

(Total for Question 5 is 2 marks)

Sociologists use the term 'institutional racism' to explain some of the patterns discussed in this pack.

(Total for Question 6 is 2 marks)

The sociologist Cecile Wright carried out classroom observation research on teacher-pupil interaction and ethnicity.

(Total for Question 7 is 4 marks)

The sociologist Tony Sewell researched the experiences of Black Caribbean boys in British schools.

(Total for Question 8 is 4 marks)

State one criticism that is often made of institutional racism explanations of ethnic differences in achievement.

(Total for Question 9 is 2 marks)

Language can also affect some pupils' access to education.

(a)Explain how not yet having full fluency in English might affect some pupils' achievement.(2)

(b)Explain one way schools can support pupils for whom English is an additional language (EAL).(2)

(Total for Question 10 is 4 marks)

Sociologists are careful not to treat 'ethnic minority pupils' as a single, uniform group when discussing achievement.

(Total for Question 11 is 4 marks)

Mark scheme · 4.4 Ethnicity and Educational Achievement

Question 1

B1 A (Cecile Wright)
Answer: A

Question 2

B1 identifies a genuine type of measure, e.g. monitoring and publishing exclusion and attainment data broken down by ethnicity, to track and address gaps
B1 brief accurate development
Answer: Schools and government bodies monitor and publish exclusion and attainment data broken down by ethnicity, so that gaps can be tracked and addressed with targeted support.

Question 3

Level 4 (10-12): A detailed, well-balanced evaluation that accurately explains BOTH institutional explanations AND cultural/language explanations, supported by accurate reference to named sociologists. Strengths and weaknesses of each explanation are analysed, and a reasoned, supported judgement is reached. Sociological terminology is used accurately and consistently throughout.
Level 3 (7-9): A clear evaluation that explains both institutional and cultural/language explanations, with some accurate reference to sociologists. Some analysis of strengths/weaknesses. An attempt at a conclusion, which may be only partly supported.
Level 2 (4-6): Some relevant explanation of institutional and/or cultural factors, with limited development or accuracy. Little clear evaluation or comparison between explanations.
Level 1 (1-3): One or two isolated, undeveloped points about ethnicity and achievement, with little or no sociological terminology or accurate detail.
Level 0 (0): No relevant content.
Indicative content:
- Institutional case: Gillborn argued school policies and practices, even where not intentionally racist, can produce unequal outcomes, linking this to disproportionately high exclusion rates among some groups of Black pupils.
- Institutional case continued: Cecile Wright's classroom observation research found some teachers held lower expectations of some Black pupils, leading to quicker discipline or placement in lower sets than ability warranted.
- Cultural/community case: attitudes towards education, and community or family support networks, have been suggested as factors affecting achievement for some groups; language barriers can also affect pupils still developing fluency in English (EAL).
- Peer-group/identity case: Sewell's research found some Black Caribbean boys faced peer pressure towards an anti-school masculine identity, partly as a response to negative stereotyping, though other boys from the same background remained highly engaged.
- Evaluation of institutional explanations: critics argue it can be difficult to prove unequal outcomes are really caused by institutional racism rather than other factors such as class, and that this focus can overlook variation between minority ethnic groups.
- Evaluation of cultural/peer-group explanations: critics argue not all pupils from a given background take part in any single subculture, and cultural explanations must not be generalised across an 'ethnic minority' group treated as uniform.
- A balanced conclusion should note that achievement patterns vary considerably both between and within ethnic groups, and that institutional and cultural/language factors are likely to interact rather than act as rival single causes.

Question 4

(a) B1 identifies a limitation, e.g. exam results do not show why any gap exists, or how much wider factors such as EAL support already affected the results
(a) B1 brief development
(a) Answer: Exam results alone cannot show why any achievement gap exists, or how far factors such as EAL support have already shaped the results, so they only show the outcome, not the cause.
(b) B1 identifies a strength, e.g. exam results are collected consistently and objectively across all pupils, making comparison between groups straightforward
(b) B1 brief development
(b) Answer: Exam results are collected consistently and objectively for every pupil, using the same marking criteria, making comparison between ethnic groups straightforward and standardised.

Question 5

B1 identifies a genuine similarity, e.g. in each case sociologists point to both factors inside the home/community AND factors inside the school itself
B1 brief development linking this across at least two of class, gender and ethnicity
Answer: In each case, sociologists point to both home/community factors (e.g. material deprivation, family attitudes, cultural capital) and school-based factors (e.g. teacher expectations, the hidden curriculum), rather than a single cause.

Question 6

B1 discrimination against an ethnic group built into an organisation's normal procedures, attitudes or culture, rather than the actions of one prejudiced individual (oe)
B1 development, e.g. the term was defined following the 1999 Macpherson Inquiry into the investigation of the murder of Stephen Lawrence
Answer: Discrimination built into an organisation's normal procedures or culture, rather than the actions of one prejudiced individual; the term was defined following the 1999 Macpherson Inquiry.

Question 7

B1 identifies that Wright's research involved observing interactions between teachers and pupils of different ethnic backgrounds in the classroom
B1 finding, e.g. she found some teachers held lower expectations of some Black pupils, and were more likely to assume they would cause disruption
B1 development, e.g. this could lead some Black pupils to be disciplined more quickly, or placed in lower sets, than their ability warranted
B1 further development, e.g. Wright also found some able Black pupils could be overlooked, because teacher attention focused on managing perceived behaviour rather than recognising achievement
Answer: Cecile Wright's classroom observation research found some teachers held lower expectations of some Black pupils, disciplining them more quickly or placing them in lower sets than their ability warranted, sometimes overlooking able pupils in the process.

Question 8

B1 identifies that Sewell's research examined how some Black Caribbean boys' responses to school were shaped partly by peer-group identity
B1 finding, e.g. he found some boys faced peer pressure to conform to an anti-school, exaggeratedly masculine identity that could clash with school's behavioural expectations
B1 development, e.g. Sewell argued this identity partly developed as a response to negative stereotyping and low expectations from teachers and wider society
B1 further development, e.g. he also identified other Black Caribbean boys who resisted this pressure and remained highly engaged and successful at school, showing responses varied within the same ethnic group
Answer: Tony Sewell's research found some Black Caribbean boys faced peer pressure towards an anti-school masculine identity, partly a response to negative stereotyping, while other boys from the same background resisted this and remained highly engaged, showing responses varied within the group.

Question 9

B1 identifies a recognised criticism, e.g. it can be difficult to prove that unequal outcomes are really caused by institutional racism rather than other factors, such as social class
B1 brief development, e.g. or that focusing only on institutional factors can risk overlooking genuine variation in outcomes between different minority ethnic groups
Answer: Critics argue it can be difficult to prove that unequal outcomes are really caused by institutional racism rather than other factors such as class, and that this focus can overlook genuine variation between different ethnic groups.

Question 10

(a) B1 identifies that pupils still developing fluency in English may find it harder, at least initially, to access parts of the curriculum taught and assessed in English
(a) B1 development noting this is a language barrier rather than a lack of ability
(a) Answer: Pupils still developing fluency in English may find it harder to access curriculum content taught and assessed in English, at least initially; this reflects a language barrier rather than a lack of ability.
(b) B1 identifies a genuine support measure, e.g. additional targeted English-language teaching or support from a trained EAL teaching assistant
(b) B1 brief development of how it helps
(b) Answer: Additional targeted English-language teaching, or support from a trained EAL teaching assistant, can help pupils access the curriculum more quickly while their fluency develops.

Question 11

B1 identifies that different ethnic groups show very different average patterns of achievement
B1 development, e.g. some groups have on average achieved particularly highly, while other groups have shown lower average achievement in various studies
B1 further development, e.g. this means explanations must look at each group's specific circumstances rather than assuming one single cause applies to 'ethnic minorities' as a whole
B1 further development, e.g. patterns can also vary considerably within any one ethnic group, not just between groups
Answer: Different ethnic groups show very different average achievement patterns, with some achieving particularly highly and others lower on average, so explanations must consider each group's specific circumstances rather than treating 'ethnic minorities' as one uniform group, and patterns vary within groups too.

Ethnicity and Educational Achievement - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

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