AQA A-Level Sociology –
Education 2026 | Study
Guide, Practice Questions,
Answers, Rationales &
Exam Review
Updated Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales
Included
,(intro) What are sociologists interested in? - government changes to education
- how pupils are labelled
- pupils home background
- How pupils experience school e.g. subject choice
(social class) Key stats? - 55% likely to get 5 A-Cs at gcse compared to 88% it on FSM
- 91% gcse achievement if in high professional work opposed to 66% in routine
work
(social class) Outside school / Home background Suggest class differences in educational achievement relate to home and family
(external)? background. Developed to argue against biological ideas that class was linked to
intelligence
(social class) What did the centre of Longitudinal Research By 3 children from disadvantaged backgrounds were already years behind in
Find? comparison
(social class) What is material deprivation? Lacking basic necessities due to poverty
(social class) Material Deprivation - Department for 1/3 of students eligible for FSM achieve 5 or more GCSEs and are more likely to be
Education 2012? excluded
(social class) Material Deprivation - Flaherty 2004? Money problems in the family are a factor in non-attendance at school
(social class) Material Deprivation - Housing? Has direct and indirect impacts on pupil achievement
(social class) Material Deprivation - Housing: Direct? Overcrowding makes it harder to study, less room for education and homework.
Sleep disturbed due to sharing beds and bedrooms. Young children development
can be impaired by lack of space for safe play. Living in temporary housing can
change school
(social class) Material Deprivation - Housing: Indirect? Effects on health and welfare e.g. children in crowded houses run a greater risk of
accidents and cold and damp lead to infection
(social class) Material Deprivation - Diet and Health: Children from poor homes have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals.
Howard 2001? Leads to poor health and difficulties concentrating
(social class) Material Deprivation - Diet and Health: Children from poorer homes are more likely to have emotional and behavioral
Wilkinson 1999? problems. Found that 10 year old from lower class backgrounds have higher rates
of hyperactivity, anxiety and conduct disorder
, (social class) Material Deprivation - Diet and Health: Children from poorer backgrounds are more likely to engage in fighting and temper
Blanden and Mashin? tantrums
(social class) Material Deprivation - Financial Support and Study in Oxford area found costs of transport, uniform, books, computers, sports,
Educational Costs: Tanner 2003? music and art etc place a burden in poorer families
(social class) Material Deprivation - Financial Support and Poor children have to make do with hand-me-downs or cheaper equipment which
Educational Costs: Flaherty? can result in isolation, stigma and bullying. Fear of stigma may explain why 20%
refuse FSM
(social class) Material Deprivation - Financial Support and Poverty is a barrier in other ways e.g. private tuition. Children from low income
Educational Costs: Smith and Noble? families may need to take on jobs which may distract from school work
(social class) Material Deprivation - Financial Support and Middle class parents are in better positions to manipulate the system in order to get
Educational Costs: Markinitizeation? their children into the best schools i.e. more economic support.
(social class) Material Deprivation - University: Callander Working class students are more likely to see debt negatively i.e. see more costs
and Jackson? then benefits ingoing to university e.g. UCAS reports number of applicants down 8%
since 2012
(social class) Material Deprivation - University: Working Less likely to revive support from family whilst at uni. More likely to apply to local
Class? unis meaning they can save on costs. Likely to drop out and work 2x as much due
to debt
(social class) What is Cultural Deprivation? Inadequate socialization in the home, lack of cultural equipment e.g. language /
self-discipline and reasoning skills
(social class) Cultural Deprivation - Language? Level of communication affects cognitive development
(social class) Cultural Deprivation - Language: Fernstine? Educated pupils are more likely to use language that challenges children's abilities
e.g. 'are you ready for the next step'. Less educated parents use language that only
requires children to make descriptive statements e.g. what is that animal
Education 2026 | Study
Guide, Practice Questions,
Answers, Rationales &
Exam Review
Updated Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales
Included
,(intro) What are sociologists interested in? - government changes to education
- how pupils are labelled
- pupils home background
- How pupils experience school e.g. subject choice
(social class) Key stats? - 55% likely to get 5 A-Cs at gcse compared to 88% it on FSM
- 91% gcse achievement if in high professional work opposed to 66% in routine
work
(social class) Outside school / Home background Suggest class differences in educational achievement relate to home and family
(external)? background. Developed to argue against biological ideas that class was linked to
intelligence
(social class) What did the centre of Longitudinal Research By 3 children from disadvantaged backgrounds were already years behind in
Find? comparison
(social class) What is material deprivation? Lacking basic necessities due to poverty
(social class) Material Deprivation - Department for 1/3 of students eligible for FSM achieve 5 or more GCSEs and are more likely to be
Education 2012? excluded
(social class) Material Deprivation - Flaherty 2004? Money problems in the family are a factor in non-attendance at school
(social class) Material Deprivation - Housing? Has direct and indirect impacts on pupil achievement
(social class) Material Deprivation - Housing: Direct? Overcrowding makes it harder to study, less room for education and homework.
Sleep disturbed due to sharing beds and bedrooms. Young children development
can be impaired by lack of space for safe play. Living in temporary housing can
change school
(social class) Material Deprivation - Housing: Indirect? Effects on health and welfare e.g. children in crowded houses run a greater risk of
accidents and cold and damp lead to infection
(social class) Material Deprivation - Diet and Health: Children from poor homes have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals.
Howard 2001? Leads to poor health and difficulties concentrating
(social class) Material Deprivation - Diet and Health: Children from poorer homes are more likely to have emotional and behavioral
Wilkinson 1999? problems. Found that 10 year old from lower class backgrounds have higher rates
of hyperactivity, anxiety and conduct disorder
, (social class) Material Deprivation - Diet and Health: Children from poorer backgrounds are more likely to engage in fighting and temper
Blanden and Mashin? tantrums
(social class) Material Deprivation - Financial Support and Study in Oxford area found costs of transport, uniform, books, computers, sports,
Educational Costs: Tanner 2003? music and art etc place a burden in poorer families
(social class) Material Deprivation - Financial Support and Poor children have to make do with hand-me-downs or cheaper equipment which
Educational Costs: Flaherty? can result in isolation, stigma and bullying. Fear of stigma may explain why 20%
refuse FSM
(social class) Material Deprivation - Financial Support and Poverty is a barrier in other ways e.g. private tuition. Children from low income
Educational Costs: Smith and Noble? families may need to take on jobs which may distract from school work
(social class) Material Deprivation - Financial Support and Middle class parents are in better positions to manipulate the system in order to get
Educational Costs: Markinitizeation? their children into the best schools i.e. more economic support.
(social class) Material Deprivation - University: Callander Working class students are more likely to see debt negatively i.e. see more costs
and Jackson? then benefits ingoing to university e.g. UCAS reports number of applicants down 8%
since 2012
(social class) Material Deprivation - University: Working Less likely to revive support from family whilst at uni. More likely to apply to local
Class? unis meaning they can save on costs. Likely to drop out and work 2x as much due
to debt
(social class) What is Cultural Deprivation? Inadequate socialization in the home, lack of cultural equipment e.g. language /
self-discipline and reasoning skills
(social class) Cultural Deprivation - Language? Level of communication affects cognitive development
(social class) Cultural Deprivation - Language: Fernstine? Educated pupils are more likely to use language that challenges children's abilities
e.g. 'are you ready for the next step'. Less educated parents use language that only
requires children to make descriptive statements e.g. what is that animal
