Summarise the content of the table showing the relationship
between ethnicity and achievement at A level [10]
The table shows the percentage of A level students from each ethnic group
who received 3 A grades or higher at A level. From the table, we can see that
the ethnic group with the highest attainment were Chinese students, as
23.9% of students achieved 3 A’s or higher. On the other hand, the ethnic
groups with the lowest attainment were Irish Traveller and Gypsy/Roma
students, as 0% of them achieved 3 A’s or higher at A level. This is a
percentage point difference of 23.9% in comparison to Chinese students.
Also, Irish Traveller and Gypsy/Roma groups were the ethnicities with the
least students studying at A level, as Irish Travellers made up 4 pupils while
only 17 pupils were Gypsy/Roma. The ethnic group with the largest number
of students studying A levels were White British, with 132,462 pupils.
However, these students had the fourth best attainment levels, as 10.7%
achieved 3 A grades or better, a percentage point difference of 13.2% in
comparison to Chinese students. Other ethnic groups with high attainment
levels included White Irish students, with 15.1% achieving 3 A’s or higher,
and Indian students, of which 13.7% achieved 3 A grades or better. On the
other hand, the ethnic groups with low attainment rates other than Irish
Traveller and Gypsy/Roma students were Black Caribbean, who had 3.2% of
students achieve 3 A grades or better, and Black African students, of which
5.2% achieved 3 A’s or higher.
Explain two sociological reasons for the relationship between
ethnicity and educational attainment [15]
The first reason for the relationship between ethnicity and educational
attainment is cultural factors. Different ethnic subcultures hold different
views surrounding education, as some value it more than others. This
impacts attainment as if someone’s parents do not pressure them to
succeed academically due to their values, then they are unlikely to do so.
The structure and lifestyle of families due to their ethnic subcultures may
also impact attainment. For example, Pryce suggests that the high number
of matriarchal single-parent families in Black Caribbean communities may
explain the low levels of attainment in that ethnicity. Similarly, Driver and
Ballard suggested that the high attainment levels in Asian communities is
due to the presence of a close-knit extemded family, which is common in
Asian families. These theories are supported by the item, as we can see that
3.2% of Black Caribbean students achieved 3 A grades or higher at A level.
between ethnicity and achievement at A level [10]
The table shows the percentage of A level students from each ethnic group
who received 3 A grades or higher at A level. From the table, we can see that
the ethnic group with the highest attainment were Chinese students, as
23.9% of students achieved 3 A’s or higher. On the other hand, the ethnic
groups with the lowest attainment were Irish Traveller and Gypsy/Roma
students, as 0% of them achieved 3 A’s or higher at A level. This is a
percentage point difference of 23.9% in comparison to Chinese students.
Also, Irish Traveller and Gypsy/Roma groups were the ethnicities with the
least students studying at A level, as Irish Travellers made up 4 pupils while
only 17 pupils were Gypsy/Roma. The ethnic group with the largest number
of students studying A levels were White British, with 132,462 pupils.
However, these students had the fourth best attainment levels, as 10.7%
achieved 3 A grades or better, a percentage point difference of 13.2% in
comparison to Chinese students. Other ethnic groups with high attainment
levels included White Irish students, with 15.1% achieving 3 A’s or higher,
and Indian students, of which 13.7% achieved 3 A grades or better. On the
other hand, the ethnic groups with low attainment rates other than Irish
Traveller and Gypsy/Roma students were Black Caribbean, who had 3.2% of
students achieve 3 A grades or better, and Black African students, of which
5.2% achieved 3 A’s or higher.
Explain two sociological reasons for the relationship between
ethnicity and educational attainment [15]
The first reason for the relationship between ethnicity and educational
attainment is cultural factors. Different ethnic subcultures hold different
views surrounding education, as some value it more than others. This
impacts attainment as if someone’s parents do not pressure them to
succeed academically due to their values, then they are unlikely to do so.
The structure and lifestyle of families due to their ethnic subcultures may
also impact attainment. For example, Pryce suggests that the high number
of matriarchal single-parent families in Black Caribbean communities may
explain the low levels of attainment in that ethnicity. Similarly, Driver and
Ballard suggested that the high attainment levels in Asian communities is
due to the presence of a close-knit extemded family, which is common in
Asian families. These theories are supported by the item, as we can see that
3.2% of Black Caribbean students achieved 3 A grades or higher at A level.
