Social Class and Inequality in Education

Running head: SOCIAL CLASS AND INEQUALITY
SOCIAL CLASS AND INEQUALITY
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1SOCIAL CLASS AND INEQUALITY
Many of the scholars have been debated on the topic whether inequality and social
class is visible in the schools and if they are the factors which influence the academic
achievements of the students. This paper would elaborate on the notion that a student
belonging from the lower socio-economic status undergoes poor educational attainments.
With the same, it would also shed light on various social theories and how they assisted in
perpetuating this inequality. Furthermore, it shall also explore the impact of economic status
of the schools such as its resources, the funding level and the quality of its teaching that
might hinder the achievements and learning of the students. Along with these, this paper
would explore on the relationship in between the students and the social class. It would argue
that the students belonging from the lower SES background performs better in some cases.
Finally, this paper is going to focus on whether the government institutions and schools have
placed any policies for decreasing this issue.
It is to note that the student who belong from the lower socio-economic family
background are more than often “time poor” and this has a great implications on their
learning process. Such students are under more time constraints as compared to the one who
are from the higher economic status (Devlin, Kift, Nelson, Smith & McKay, 2012). It further
results in increased balanced financial pressures, duties and responsibilities towards their
family or substantial working hours. Devlin and McKay (2017) in their study has found that
the students from the lower economic status or background often find themselves under high
pressures and they constantly try to prioritise their work life and education more than
anything. Notwithstanding this fact, because of high financial struggle, it is next to
impossible for the students to avoid working during their study years. As per one of the
student involved in the research interview session- “...but I can definitely see that it
jeopardises a lot of people’s grades. Even just their - the level of seriousness ... for their
education and their studies. Because if you start having to focus more so on financial side of

2SOCIAL CLASS AND INEQUALITY
things and working, then you’re obviously not going to be able to focus on having your head
in university...”. Furthermore, as per Devlin et al. (2012), it is difficult for the students to
maintain a balance in between their school attendance, work, school assignments and
workload. Hence, this depicts the negative influence of being “time-poor” on the learning and
academic career of the students. These students are often seen to be neglecting their studies
and the other learning opportunities present for them. With the same, it is also seen that these
students get lower grades as compared to the other students in their academic exams and
assessments as they have immense pressure of raising funds and collecting money for
themselves because of the financial issues that their families undergo. As per one of the
statistics, the “children from low-SES families enter high school with average literacy skills
five years behind those of high-income students” (Education and Socioeconomic Status,
2018). Such a socio-cultural issue also affects the teaching process of the teachers as they
have to modify, understand and accommodate the needs of each and every students. It is
these teachers who have to scaffold and engage their teaching pedagogy for accommodating
and helping these children to excel in their academic career (Devlin, et al., 2012).
The theory that underpins this very notion could be explained by means of the
functionalist social theory as the schools and the teachers have to maintain a beneficial and
positive environment in order to increase the learning of the students and the pedagogy
teaching approaches (EDFX140 topic 3, 2018). As per Devlin et al. (2012), it is suggested to
the teachers to “use as much diversity as possible in your pedagogical practices, because
there’s all sorts of different learners. Don’t presume that groups all learn in certain ways,
watch out for generalisations”. Such statements pursue the common good and at the same
time, encourages equal opportunities for the students by means of promoting the student-
centred curriculum and the other assessment practices along with modified pedagogy in order
to monitor the development of the children (Nolan & Raban, 2015).