Tips to answer a 10 mark question to get
an A*
- Write PEEL paragraphs
- Point, evidence- sociologists/statistics/studies, explain/analyse-
how evidence supports your point, link your answer back to the
question.
- Include sociologists in your answer.
- Spend about 7 minutes on each paragraph (you should spend 15
minutes on a 10-mark question)
- Use theories such as feminist, Marxists, functionalists,
postmodernists etc. to counterargue your point.
Outline two ways in which factors in children’s home background may lead to differences in
achievement levels between ethnic groups. (10 marks)
One factor which may lead to differences in achievement between ethnic groups is material deprivation.
Material deprivation refers to poverty or lack of material necessities seen as normal for everyday life.
Material deprivation theorists believe poverty and educational underachievement are closely linked. For
instance, Indians and whites generally have higher social class position than Bangladeshis and Pakistanis
this is reflected in educational achievement. Swann report identified the main factor for
underachievement of some ethnic groups such as Bangladeshi and Pakistani was social class and
material deprivation. Bangladeshi and Pakistanis are most likely to face poverty for example they are
over three times more likely than whites to be poor. Pakistani and Bangladeshi women are more likely
to be engaged in low paid work or housewives causing them to be in poverty. This negatively impacts
educational achievements of their children in many ways. For example, not having much space at home.
Michael Gove argues that children should have a room of their own to study in but children from poor
families face difficulties with such as overcrowding. This leads to disturbed sleep from sharing
bedrooms which results into making it much harder to concentrate and study. Also, the pupils from poor
backgrounds might not be able to afford the same equipment such as books, private tutors etc
compared to others. This means that poverty plays a role in underachievement of pupils because pupils
from wealthier backgrounds have better opportunities and facilities making them more likely to succeed
in future. On the other hand, the research shows that pupils from low-income Chinese families did well
at school which shows that it’s not always the poor ethnic background which causes educational
underachievement.
One factor which may lead to differences in achievement between ethnic groups is cultural deprivation.
Cultural deprivation theorists see a lack of intellectual and linguistic skills as a cause of
underachievement in minority pupils. For example, the children from black Asian minority ethic families
an A*
- Write PEEL paragraphs
- Point, evidence- sociologists/statistics/studies, explain/analyse-
how evidence supports your point, link your answer back to the
question.
- Include sociologists in your answer.
- Spend about 7 minutes on each paragraph (you should spend 15
minutes on a 10-mark question)
- Use theories such as feminist, Marxists, functionalists,
postmodernists etc. to counterargue your point.
Outline two ways in which factors in children’s home background may lead to differences in
achievement levels between ethnic groups. (10 marks)
One factor which may lead to differences in achievement between ethnic groups is material deprivation.
Material deprivation refers to poverty or lack of material necessities seen as normal for everyday life.
Material deprivation theorists believe poverty and educational underachievement are closely linked. For
instance, Indians and whites generally have higher social class position than Bangladeshis and Pakistanis
this is reflected in educational achievement. Swann report identified the main factor for
underachievement of some ethnic groups such as Bangladeshi and Pakistani was social class and
material deprivation. Bangladeshi and Pakistanis are most likely to face poverty for example they are
over three times more likely than whites to be poor. Pakistani and Bangladeshi women are more likely
to be engaged in low paid work or housewives causing them to be in poverty. This negatively impacts
educational achievements of their children in many ways. For example, not having much space at home.
Michael Gove argues that children should have a room of their own to study in but children from poor
families face difficulties with such as overcrowding. This leads to disturbed sleep from sharing
bedrooms which results into making it much harder to concentrate and study. Also, the pupils from poor
backgrounds might not be able to afford the same equipment such as books, private tutors etc
compared to others. This means that poverty plays a role in underachievement of pupils because pupils
from wealthier backgrounds have better opportunities and facilities making them more likely to succeed
in future. On the other hand, the research shows that pupils from low-income Chinese families did well
at school which shows that it’s not always the poor ethnic background which causes educational
underachievement.
One factor which may lead to differences in achievement between ethnic groups is cultural deprivation.
Cultural deprivation theorists see a lack of intellectual and linguistic skills as a cause of
underachievement in minority pupils. For example, the children from black Asian minority ethic families
