The impact of attitudes and aspirations on educational attainment and participation

(2012) - Stephen Gorard, Beng Huat See, Peter Davies

Journal: Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Link:: https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/impact-attitudes-and-aspirations-educational-attainment-and-participation
DOI::
Links::
Tags:: #paper #attitudes #Aspirations #Education #Attainment
Cite Key:: [@Gorard2012]

Abstract

The ‘poverty gap’ in education means that children from poorer families tend to do less well at school and beyond. It is crucial to know whether this situation can be improved by activities to enhance the beliefs and behaviour of the most educationally marginalised families. If attitudes and aspirations do cause higher levels of attainment, then appropriate interventions can be developed. But if they do not, then money and effort is being wasted on approaches that may even have damaging side effects. This all-encompassing review of existing evidence provides summaries on a range of areas, from parental expectations to child substance abuse.

Notes

“The review found evidence of an association between parental expectations and their child’s attainment, and three of the four causal criteria were met at least in part.” (Gorard et al., 2012, p. 7)

“arental involvement in their child’s learning was the only area reviewed with sufficient evidence to meet the four criteria for a robust causal model, and then only as a cause of attainment (not participation).” (Gorard et al., 2012, p. 7)

“The review confirmed the association between children’s expectations/aspirations and their attainment.” (Gorard et al., 2012, p. 8)