Premium
The White British‐Black Caribbean achievement gap: Tests, tiers and teacher expectations
Author(s) -
Strand Steve
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
british educational research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.171
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1469-3518
pISSN - 0141-1926
DOI - 10.1080/01411926.2010.526702
Subject(s) - neighbourhood (mathematics) , psychology , academic achievement , white (mutation) , educational attainment , socioeconomic status , ethnic group , test (biology) , mathematics education , demographic economics , demography , social psychology , sociology , economic growth , economics , mathematics , mathematical analysis , population , biochemistry , chemistry , paleontology , biology , anthropology , gene
A recent analysis of the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE) indicates a White British–Black Caribbean achievement gap at age 14 which cannot be accounted for by socio‐economic variables or a wide range of contextual factors. This article uses the LSYPE to analyse patterns of entry to the different tiers of national mathematics and science tests at age 14. Each tier gives access to a limited range of outcomes with the highest test outcomes achievable only if students are entered by their teachers to the higher tiers. The results indicate that Black Caribbean students are systematically under‐represented in entry to the higher tiers relative to their White British peers. This gap persists after controls for prior attainment, socio‐economic variables and a wide range of pupil, family, school and neighbourhood factors. Differential entry to test tiers provides a window on teacher expectation effects which may contribute to the achievement gap.