Material deprivation refers to a lack of economic or material resources. Poor diet is linked to poor educational achievement as it can cause weakened immune systems, lower energy levels, more illness, and difficulties concentrating - leading to more time off school. Inadequate housing can make it harder to excel in school by crowding homes and disturbing sleep, which makes concentration difficult. It can also mean frequent moves and changes in school. There is a "hidden cost of free schooling" as poor families cannot afford necessary school equipment, which impacts self-esteem and can lead to bullying. Cultural factors like parental expectations and home environment also play a role, but material deprivation is only part of the explanation for differences in educational achievement as some children from poor

1. And its impact on educational outcomes

2.  Define material deprivation
 Discuss how poor diet is linked to poor educational achievement
 State two ways in which inadequate housing can make it more difficult for children to
excel in school
 Explain “the hidden cost of free schooling”
 Contrast the effect’s of cultural and material deprivation

3. Material deprivation refers to poverty and a lack of
economic or material resources.

5.  Jan Flaherty (2004)
90% of failing schools are in
deprived areas.
 Money problems are a
significant factor in younger
children’s non-attendance
at school
Deprived areas
not deprived areas

6. • There is a close link between poverty and social
class
• Working class families get paid lower wages and
are much more likely to be in poverty
• Working class families are much more likely to be
in inadequate housing

7. Affects children’s
educational
attainment

8.  http://www.makelunch.org.uk/about
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4032449.stm
 Marilyn Howard (2001) Children from poorer homes- lower intakes of energy, vitamins
and minerals.
 Weakened immune systems
 Lower energy levels
more illness
Difficulties concentrating
more time off school

9.  Richard Wilkinson (1996)
 Poorer children are much more prone to emotional and behavioural problems
 The lower the social class the higher the rate of
hyperactivity
anxiety
conduct disorders

11. 

12.  Overcrowding can make it much harder to study
 Michael Gove - children should have a room of their own to study in
 Disturbed sleep from sharing rooms or even beds will make concentration much
harder
 Young children may not have enough room to safely explore and play
 Temporary housing may mean many moves and changes of school
 Poor housing can also impact health:
For example:- Damp, Unsafe living conditions, Psychological stress

13.  “The cost of free schooling” David Bull (1980)
 Can you think of some items that you have to have for school
that you have to pay for yourself/ as a family?

14.  Children from poor families cannot afford the same equipment for school
 Emily Tanner et al. (2003)
Found that there is a heavy burden on poor families caused by the cost of things like:

15.  Poor children may have to make
do with hand-me-downs and
cheap equipment.
 This may have a negative
impact on self esteem
 It can lead to bullying
 Children from low income
families often need to work
 These jobs may have a
negative impact on their
education.

16. Do financial restrictions explain why children
from low income families are more likely to
leave school at 16?

18. Cultural
Material
 Mortimore and Whitty (1997)
 Some children from poor
families do succeed despite
material deprivation.
 And so material deprivation can
only be part of the possible
 Material inequalities have more
impact than schools
 Peter Robinson (1997)
 Tackling poverty is most effective
way to improve achievement in
schools

19.  Define material deprivation
 Discuss how poor diet is linked to poor educational achievement
 State two ways in which inadequate housing can make it more difficult for children to
excel in school
 Explain “the hidden cost of free schooling”
 Contrast the effect’s of cultural and material deprivation

20. Item 1B
 According to some sociologists, many working-class children are disadvantaged by their early experiences.
Studies of pre-school socialisation show important differences between social classes that contribute to
differences in educational achievement. Some working-class parents have lower expectations of their
children, place less emphasis on constant improvement and do not reward success systematically. Workingclass homes, with fewer books and educational toys, may provide a less stimulating learning environment.
Similarly, some working-class children are not taught to use the elaborated speech code used both by middleclass families and by the school. The government considers these factors so important that it has sought to
intervene. For example, Sure Start involves over 500 local programmes in deprived areas, working with
disadvantaged families to promote young children’s intellectual, linguistic and social development so that they
are in a position to do well when they start school.
 (f) Using material from Item 1B and elsewhere, assess the view that working-class under-achievement in
education is the result of home circumstances and family background.
(20 marks)