Young People and School GCSE Attainment: Exploring the ‘Middle’

(2013) - Roxanne Connelly, Susan Murray, Vernon Gayle

Journal: Sociological Research Online
Link::
DOI:: 10.5153/sro.2880
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Tags:: #paper #Attainment #Education
Cite Key:: [@connellyYoungPeopleSchool2013]

Abstract

Notes

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 1) No crisp boundaries to mark out a 'middle' category

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 2) Since the comprehensivisation of secondary schools this diet (GCSE) of examinations marks the first major branching point in a young person's educational career.

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 2) The BHPS is particularly appropriate for studying young people growing up in the 1990s after GCSEs were introduced (Gayle 2005). Gayle, Lambert and Murray (2009b) and more recently Murray (2011) have sucessfully undertaken youth research using BHPS data.

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 2) At age 16 a young person enters the adult sample of the BHPS and undertakes the full annual adult interview (Taylor et al 2010)

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 2) There is no agreed upon standard of categorising educational qualifications (Prandy et al 2004)

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 2) We construct a 'middle' group of moderately qualified young people. They obtained some (1-4) GCSEs at grade A*-C.

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 2) Focus on gender, parental social class, parental education, and housing tenure. These explanatory variables are implicated in previous studies of school GCSE attainment (for example Drew et al 1992; Drew 1995; Demack et al 2000; Gayle et al 2003; Connolly 2006; Gayle et al 2009a; Sullivan et al 2011)

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 8) The number of school GCSEs at grades A*-C is a count, and standard linear regression analysis is not suitable for count data (Cameron and Trivedi 1998).

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 9) BIC as a measure of parsimony (Raftery 1995)

(Connelly et al., 2013, p. 10) Roberts (2011) rightly contends that a bifurcated conceptualisation of the outcomes and experiences of youth is not adequate.