The key factors contributing to the educational success of African students in the UK.

1. THE KEY FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE
EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS OF AFRICAN STUDENTS IN
THE UK
SCHOOL FACTORS
INDIVIDUAL FACTORS
PARENTAL AND HOME
FACTORS
SOCIAL FACTORS

2. SCHOOL FACTORS
Teacher effectiveness is the most significant in-school
variable for educational success.
Parents have a strong perception of teachers as critical to
academic success
Good teaching translates to positive results and good
schools as shown by the majority of London schools.
School factors, though important, have relatively smaller
impact on student achievement than parental factors.

3. INDIVIDUAL FACTORS
Peer groups of low-attainers manifest negative educational
outcomes while a reverse scenario is the case for high-
attainers.
Students have a strong perception of their personal
qualities and agency in the educational process.
Students view “self-motivation” and “self-belief” as
desirable qualities that enable educational success.
Students’ self-efficacy is usually mediated by parents.

4. PARENTAL AND HOME FACTORS
Parental factor is the overriding factor in educational
success.
It was shown to account for the high rates of achievement
of African students.
African parents transmit certain educational behaviours
(high aspirations, resilience and hard-work) that enable their
children to succeed in school.

5. PARENTAL AND HOME FACTORS
Active parental support at home and constructive
engagement with school, bolsters academic performance
significantly.
African parents demonstrate strong commitment to the
education of their children. It is accorded priority and
enormous resources are mobilised to achieve success.
African parents believe that the education of their children is
a joint enterprise between the home and school.

6. SOCIAL FACTORS
Social mobility is a major impetus for the high achievement
of African students.
It also influences the high participation rates in higher
education within this demographic.
Despite strong educational credentials, Africans are not
experiencing concomitant success in the labour market due
to racism.

7. SOCIAL FACTORS
Racism is acting to motivate African students to continually
strive for excellence in their educational careers.
Experiences of racism and discrimination in society
highlight an unfair and unequal system that places
enormous burden on African families.

8. IMPLICATION FOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
School leaders must create opportunities to work more collaboratively
with parents to improve outcomes for all underperforming groups.
Schools should de-emphasise socio-economic status and focus more on
how to empower parents to support their children at home.
Schools must find ways to raise aspirations and motivate effort through
parents.
School leaders need to be aware of the huge barriers faced by some
disadvantaged students and how these can be mitigated.