Is education socially selective?
25th June, 2007Education is ‘failing poorer children’ according to the latest Sutton Trust report on social mobility.
And, claims Sutton Trust founder Sir Peter Lampl, Britain has the ‘lowest social mobility of any country you can measure’. He expands that places at the best schools are taken by children from more affluent families.
Britain saw a big expansion of its higher education system in the 80s and 90s but “contrary to many people’s expectations this actually reinforced social immobility” — says Professor Steve Machin from the LSE, who carried out the research.
If we really are moving towards a more socially selective education system, what can we do to reverse the trend? Are the Conservatives correct – do we need to build more schools, including city academies, and increase the number of ‘good school places’?
Futurelab is always looking for ideas. Find out how you can 
Bob Harrison
Ben Williamson
Dan Sutch
Richard Sandford
Leon Cych
Martin Owen
Tim Reader
June 26th, 2007 at 1:28 am
Yes, schools in the USA are designed and operated to be academically and socially selective.
I have just completed a 70-page publication entitled “Schools in the USA are Pathetic,” with the philisolhy that our culture (and our schools) are basically for about 20 percent to succeed easily. 60 percent can make it in the schools (and culture)if they work hard and cooperate with the system. 20 percent are destined to failure.
June 28th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
where can we read it?
July 13th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
One of the key problems is that social divisions are re-inforced by academic snobbery. People whose learning styles are suited to practical applications are labelled as academic failures, and their educational successes are treated as second class options.