Sociology · Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 23 · Question 2

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In modern industrial societies there are many different schools that students can attend, one of which is a comprehensive school. Many sociologists believe that having so much choice is a good thing and improves the quality of education for students. Some social groups, however, still achieve better than others within the education system.

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2(a)[2]
What is meant by the term ‘the comprehensive system? [2]
Non-selective secondary schools, accepting all children of that age from the local area. One mark for partial definition, e.g. schools anyone can go to. Two marks for clear definition, e.g. schools that cater for all abilities of students in the local area.
2(b)[4]
Describe two types of schools, apart from comprehensives. [4]
Candidates will describe two types of schools. A wide variety of types of schools described here reflecting the cultural variation of the candidates. These should all be credited. Possible answers:
State school;
Private school;
Faith school;
Single sex school;
Secondary school;
Primary school;
Grammar schools;
Academies;
Free schools;
Technical/vocational school;
Other reasonable response. One mark for each type correctly identified (up to maximum of two). One mark for each type that is developed (up to a maximum of two).
2(c)[6]
Explain how the existence of a range of different types of schools in modern industrial societies may be good for students. [6]
Candidates should show an understanding of a range of different types of schools in their answer. Possible answers:
Students can attend the school that best serves their educational needs;
Cultural/religious preferences can be accommodated through the type of school attended, e.g. faith schools;
Single sex schools are sometimes shown to benefit both males and females when it comes to educational achievement;
Students can be educated with other students of similar values and backgrounds;
Advantages of the private school system for students – smaller class sizes, better teachers, more resources, etc.;
Functionalist view – schools help to sort students out into their future roles, so the brightest students can be taught together and academically pushed, whilst the weaker students can be together and supported;
Students can attend the type of school most suitable for their future career pathway;
Other reasonable response. Band 0 No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–3) Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of how the existence of a range of different types of schools in modern industrial societies may be good for students. Candidates may only consider a narrow range of schools. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language, e.g. ‘brighter students can go to schools where they will get pushed more.’ Band 2 (4–6) A clear and accurate explanation showing good sociological knowledge and understanding of how the existence of a range of different types of schools in modern industrial societies may be good for students. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected. Candidates may discuss, e.g. ‘functions, vocationalism, private education, common values, etc.’ At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one factor in a well-developed way or cover several factors in less detail.
2(d)[8]
Explain why social class may be the most important factor in determining how well a student achieves in education. [8]
Candidates should show understanding of what is meant by the term social class and consider how it may affect educational performance – benefiting the upper classes and penalising the lower classes. Expect an accurate identification of recognised class trends in educational achievement within candidates’ responses. Possible reasons:
The lower your class position, the worse you tend to do in education;
Higher class students may attend private schools where they will be academically pushed, study for long hours, be in small class sizes, have the best teachers and enjoy up to date and extensive resources and facilities;
Teacher labelling – either positively or negatively in terms of social class, may affect educational achievement, self-fulfilling prophecy/halo effect, etc.;
Setting and streaming – class seems to affect the set or stream that a pupil is placed into with the lower sets and streams being dominated by lower class students;
Cultural deprivation – the need for immediate rather than deferred gratification and/or absence of books, etc. in the home (Bourdieu);
Material deprivation – students from the lower social classes may not have as much money to spend on revision resources, trips, tutors, etc. and may also have to study in poor, overcrowded conditions;
Parental pressure and value placed on education may be more the higher the class of the student;
Linguistic differences – working class students more likely to use the restricted code whereas the language of schools is the elaborate code, with which higher class students are more comfortable and familiar (Bernstein);
Other reasonable response. Band 0 No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–3) Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of why social class may be the most important factor in determining how well a student does in education. Candidates may not really know what is meant by social class. Candidates may only discuss general points for why students do or do not do well in education. Responses may be short and undeveloped, e.g. ‘not enough money,’ without justification. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 (4–6) Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding of why social class may be the most important factor in determining how well a student does in education. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range. Answers may concentrate on just school factors such as ‘teacher expectations’ or just home factors such as ‘nowhere quiet to study’ and so be a little narrow. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed. Band 3 (7–8) Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of why social class may be the most important factor in determining how well a student does in education and will be well developed and explained, e.g. ‘Material deprivation can help to explain why social class affects how well a student does in education. Students from wealthy homes can attend private schools where they are pushed to succeed academically by highly achieving role models – teachers and their peer group. Resources and facilities will all be of the highest quality so the students will have every opportunity to succeed. This will not be the same experience for lower class students in non-fee paying education.’ Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately, overall. Answers will be well focused on the question and there will be a range of reasons presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout.
2(e)[15]
To what extent do setting and streaming affect a child’s educational achievement? [15]
Candidates should show an awareness of what is meant by setting and streaming and how these may affect a child’s educational achievement. Candidates may talk generically about both of these elements or deal with each one separately. Either way is fine to credit. Candidates may also talk about setting and streaming as advantaging students or as disadvantaging them – again both are acceptable approaches. Possible answers: For:
Those who are put into top sets/streams will become confident, high achievers whereas those in lower sets/streams will see themselves as failures;
Teachers may treat pupils in different sets/streams differently, having very little expectation of those found in the lower sets/streams, for example;
Teacher labelling of pupils based on the set/stream they are in may result in a self- fulfilling prophecy that will affect the students work ethic and attitude to school and learning either negatively or positively;
Weaker teachers may be asked to teach the lower sets/streams as they are perceived to be less important than the higher sets/streams;
Setting/streaming is not always based on intelligence but also on behaviour meaning that in the lower sets/streams there may be a culture of bad behaviour that prevents students from working hard – the opposite in the higher sets;
School subcultures may form based on the setting/streaming process and affect educational achievement accordingly, i.e. anti-school subcultures in the lower sets/streams and pro-school subcultures in the higher sets/streams;
Other reasonable response. Against:
It is gender not setting/streaming that determines educational achievement;
It is social class not setting/streaming that determines educational achievement;
It is ethnicity not setting/streaming that determines educational achievement;
Too deterministic – not everyone conforms to the expectations of their school in terms of setting and streaming;
Material deprivation not setting/streaming determines educational achievement;
Cultural deprivation not setting/streaming determines educational achievement;
Home factors may be more influential than setting and/or streaming;
Type of school attended may be more influential than setting/streaming in determining educational achievement;
Other reasonable response. Band 0 No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–4) Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of whether setting and streaming affect a child’s educational achievement. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one-sided, e.g. you don’t have the same chances if you are in the lower sets. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points or provide a weak definition of key terms, e.g. ‘setting means when children are taught in classes of similar ability students’, in the question. Band 2 (5–8) In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of whether setting and streaming affect a child’s educational achievement. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list- like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. Answers may list factors of how setting/streaming affects educational achievement. There may be limited use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two-sided responses are unlikely. Lower in the band, the response will be rather narrow in the points covered and there will be little development. Higher in the band, more points will be covered and there will be limited development of some points. Alternatively, a list-like answer with little development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 (9–12) Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of whether setting and streaming affect a child’s educational achievement. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two-sided response but this may be unbalanced. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of well-developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of points and clear focus on the question. Candidates may outline that, e.g. ‘Those in the lower sets do tend to do least well in education. This may be because of how they are labelled negatively by their teacher and are not expected to do well. This can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where the student stops trying and so does not succeed.’ Band 4 (13–15) Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of whether setting and streaming affect a child’s educational achievement. There will be a strong grasp of the argument as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Candidates may outline a range of relevant factors, e.g. teacher expectations, gender, anti- school subculture, social class, labelling, etc. Responses will be two-sided and balanced. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent…?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion. Section C: Crime, deviance and social control

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