Philip Noden

Modelling Social Segregation

This paper proposes a multilevel modelling approach to the analysis of social segregation in schools. Using data on free school meal eligibility it shows that the underlying variation between schools for the period 1994-1999 has increased. It also shows that the change is greater for selective than non-selective local education authorities (LEAs). It is suggested that the approach of this paper can be applied generally to the modelling of social segregation at institution level.

Rediscovering the Impact of Marketisation: Dimensions of social segregation in England's secondary schools, 1994-99

Gorard and Fitz have used an index to examine the segregation of pupils eligible for free school meals in Wales and England. They suggest that secondary schools have become less segregated since the quasi-market reforms. This paper describes two segregation indices, the index used by Gorard and Fitz and a version of the index of isolation, suggesting that the latter is a more appropriate measure of segregation. Data are then presented relating to English secondary schools from 1994 to 1999. The analysis shows a significant increase in segregation during that period using either measure of segregation. While it is possible that this increase is from a lower baseline than the level of segregation prior to the reforms, the findings suggest that in the late 1990s there has been a consistent rise in the average level of segregation in English local education authorities.

School Admissions: Increasing Equity, Accountability and Transparency

This paper examines the impact of education reforms on school admissions policies and practices. It discusses the changes that are needed to improve the current system, especially in areas where the market is highly developed. It is concluded that the new legislation to be enacted by the current Labour Government should be beneficial, but that more far-reaching changes are needed for the admissions process to be equitable, transparent and accountable.

Parental Involvement in Education in and out of School

Abstract This paper explores the ways in which parents—mothers and fathers—are involved in their childrens education both in and out of school. It compares involvement of families with children in the final year of primary education (or its equivalent) in state and private schools, and amongst the state school parents compares families in terms of social class and mothers’ educational level. The findings indicate that mothers generally assume overriding responsibility for their childrens education. Furthermore, mothers with higher levels of education are more likely to use workbooks and employ private tutors to support their childrens education; attendance at parents’ evenings and informal discussions with teachers were also more likely to be shared with the childs father. It is suggested that mothers’ educational level is a better predictor of involvement than is social class and that, in the face of a diversification of family forms, mothers’ education may be more instructive in understanding educat...

Choices and destinations at transfer to secondary schools in London

It has been argued that the recent parental choice reforms in the UK favour middle‐class families. The paper reports quantitative and qualitative research evidence drawn from a recent ESRC‐funded study. In this study, middle‐class children were neither significantly more likely to be offered a place at their familys first‐choice school nor to be offered more places per application made. It is argued that routes through the education system have to be understood both in terms of patterns of applications and selection by schools. Various familial preferences are examined according to the childs sex, whether the child attends a private primary school, whether the childs primary school is affiliated to the Roman Catholic church, the ethnic background of the family and the familys social class. It is reported that middle‐class families prefer selective and higher scoring (in terms of performance league tables) schools. We examine why middle‐class families tend to use higher scoring schools. It is suggested...

‘Why are you applying there?’: ‘race’, class and the construction of higher education ‘choice’ in the United Kingdom

Despite entering higher education in good numbers, candidates from some black and minority ethnic groups are concentrated in less prestigious institutions. A similar pattern is evident in candidates’ applications, raising important questions about the role of ‘self-exclusion’. Statistical analysis confirms that candidates from some minority ethnic groups tend to target lower-ranking institutions, but these differences are almost entirely explained by other variables, particularly academic attainment, type of school attended, number of A-levels taken and subject mix. It follows that some minority ethnic groups appear to be indirectly disadvantaged by patterns of schooling that do not prepare candidates for elite higher education. Similar processes are evident in relation to social class, although candidates from less privileged family backgrounds remain less likely to target high-status institutions even when other variables are taken into account.

University offer rates for candidates from different ethnic categories

Previous research suggested that candidates from some black and minority ethnic groups were less likely to receive an offer of a place from an ‘old’ university. These findings were disputed in a re-analysis carried out for HEFCE which found that only Pakistani candidates were significantly less likely to receive offers (from both ‘old’ and ‘new’ universities). In this paper we return to the question of ethnic differences in university offer rates, examining UCAS admissions data for 2008. We use a cross-classified multi-level modelling approach to predict the probability that applications from candidates from different ethnic groups will receive an offer. Controlling for variables seeking to capture the academic quality of applications we find significant differences between offer rates for different ethnic groups. Significantly lower offer rates remained for the main ethnic groups when social characteristics were also taken into account in the model (social class background, gender and school type). However, offer rates for candidates from mixed ethnic groups were not significantly different from those for white British candidates. Our analysis did not find evidence of differences in offer rates from higher and lower status institutions for black and minority ethnic candidates relative to white British applicants.

Choices and Expectations at Primary and Secondary Stages in the State and Private Sectors

Summary This paper examines a range of issues concerned with the process of choosing schools in the private and state sectors at the primary/pre‐preparatory stage and at the time of transfer to secondary/senior school. The findings indicate that choices about schools are made at different times and in different ways by parents who use the state and private sectors. One of the key findings is that the process of choosing a school begins earlier in the private than in the state sector; another is that quality of education is cited more frequently as one of the ‘top three’ essential factors by parents of children in the private sector. At both the primary and transfer to secondary stages, very high percentages of parents consider it essential that their child should be happy. A discussion of the different notions that private school and the state school parents may have of ‘happiness’ is offered.

Funding Early Years Education And Care: Can A Mixed Economy Of Providers Deliver Universal High Quality Provision?

ABSTRACT There has been a focus on policies relating to early years education and care across the developed world and particularly in Europe. In the UK, there has been a raft of policy changes alongside increased investment. However, this paper argues that these changes may not be sufficient to meet EU objectives in terms of quality or the governments policy goals of high quality, affordable and accessible early years education and care. There are major issues that appear to militate against achieving these goals; these relate to the levels of government funding and to the regulatory context. There are also divergences between the providers in terms of their own objectives and underlying values which mean that quality may be variable and access to certain types of providers restricted. These factors appear to militate against the delivery of universal provision of high quality early years education and care.

Paying for Higher Education in England: Funding Policy and Families.

ABSTRACT Responsibility for meeting the costs of higher education in England has moved inexorably away from the government toward the family with the introduction of tuition fee and maintenance loans. Although an important public policy issue, there is limited research on how the policy impinges on the private sphere of the family. This paper focuses on financial support given by parents, including difficulties and constraints along with their perspectives of and responses to student loan debt, and students’ views of their financial independence. In-depth interviews with 28 parent–student dyads revealed different patterns of support. Some parents, contrary to policy assumptions, felt responsibility for their children’s student loan debt and acted to avoid, minimise or cushion the debt. There was evidence of financial stress for less affluent families. However, students with no parental support and high levels of government funding felt financially independent. The findings suggest that more affluent families were able to protect their children from student loan debt in different ways, whilst those with lower incomes were not able to do so, apparently creating a new form of inequality.