Agenda item

A research paper is attached from Lambeth Council , and a research paper l from local residents Edna Mathieson and Peter Chester.

8.1  The chair invited Feyisa Demie to introduce his paper on raising the Achievement of White Working Class children. He explained that the research unit at Lambeth Council combined statistical analysis with examining the good practice of Lambeth Schools in tackling underachievement. The research unit has looked at a range of underachieving groups of young people and the council shares good practice at a national level. In 2010 the unit decided  to focus on white working class children in Lambeth.  Funding was raised from outside and research was conducted with about 13 schools, this included interviews with a number of children, parents and teachers. The first issue was a lack of aspiration.  The second barrier was a lack of parental involvement with schools. The third  issue was marginalization - for example there is now  no pub in Stockwell catering for the  white working class community . The last issues was poverty - for example people on benefit for long time .

8.2  There is no specific  targeted support for white working class children. The report found there is particularly a need for additional English and language support.  The schools showing the best  practice had white working class role models  , for example head- teachers and teachers .

8.3  He concluded by saying that white working class children are the social-economic group that is most underachieving, both in Lambeth and nationally. A conference highlighting the research findings attracted over 200 people.

8.4  The chair invited local education researchers, Edna Mathieson and Peter Chester, to present their paper. Edna Mathieson emphasised the point made by Feyisa Demie on language and suggested that the committee look at the work of Bernstein on Language and Social Class. She also spoke about the impact of widening inequality and mentioned several books, including ‘The Spirit Level’, which showed that Britain was the most unequal country in Europe and the Owen Jones book on ‘Chavs-The demonization of the working class’.

8.5  A member picked up on low rates of literacy and fluency and asked the education researcher to expand. Feyisa Demie spoke about different levels of language development and the need for additional language support. The member commented that she did not think there was enough  work done to distinguish the particular language needs of deprived communities, for example the needs of white working class children to receive additional language support , and the need for adult education support for some parents who had low literacy levels.

8.6  It was noted that sometimes it is said that a broad ethnic and immigrant mix drives down standards, but the evidence is that actually the opposites - ethnic mix drives up standards. It is also important to observe that the traditional white working class could thrive in an old economy; however this group is now very adversely impacted by changes to the world economy.

8.7  A member remarked that the evidence has been there for some time that there is lack of attainment among white working class children and Bangladeshi children. He asked about the range of groups not attaining. Feyisa Demie said that we need to look at all underachievement and said that he has been examining a range of groups, such as African children.

8.8  The chair thanked the presenters and said she would like to see similar research done in Southwark. Feyisia Demi commented that local authorities need good data to challenge under-achievement , however the DfE really needs to target white working class children for targeted support.