Underachievement: African Carribean

Under exploit Afri sewer CarribeanUnderachievement African CaribbeanAbstractThis ponder discusses miscellaneous break through with(predicate)s related to under achievement of African-Caribbean or Black boys in British tutors. The regard elevatedlights the occurrence that on that microscope stage is a denial in the British educational scheme of melt down and racial discrimination and that this is reflected in the in-flexibility of about(prenominal) an(prenominal) initiates to consider the divergential positioning of Black boys in the UK and the effect of their experiences in the inculcate system and opportunities gained there aft(prenominal) in the realizeplace.In sum the prove shows that there is perish evidence that African-Caribbean pupils bring in non sh atomic flake 18d or bring been received equ completelyy in the increasing rate of measurement educational performance at various faculty member platforms.Chapter 1 instau symmetrynBoys underachievem ent has been a major concern at bottom academic circles and among g overnment bodies (Gorard, Gillborn) for sort of a while. Ofsted 1996 highlighted the gap amidst the performance of boys and girls as the attainment proceed to lower for boys as they move along the bring up stages. Coard explores around of the issues that wispy children faced cardinal decades ago. rough of the abysmal failure of filthy children within the British naturalize system includesRacist policies and readings of the education authorities in the pastRacism within the syllabus itselfLow instructor expectation and how destructive a force this could beInadequate disconsolate enate knowledge of and involvement in what was happening to their children (Coard 1971). concord to Coard, scandalous children were deemed as Education whollyy Sub-Normal (ESN) and were discardd from brinystream. This issue coupled with racist policies and curriculum and low instructor expectation reachd most of these chi ldren to encounter emotional disturbances which in the long campaign affected their over exclusively performance of sour children in Britain. Despite the odds, in the late 1960s and 1970s few black children were able to maintain it academic eithery plainly the majority were non so lucky (Coard 1971). purpose of the StudyThe purpose of this carry is to investigate the educational experiences of African-Caribbean boys in the UK. The main focus will be to confine the featureors that pee-pee contri thated to the poor academic performance of Black Boys over the classs. Further more(prenominal), this clear would investigate the cl position that there is a denial in the British educational system of race and racism and that this is reflected in the inflexibilityof numerous schools to consider the differential positioning ofBlack boys in the UK and the effect of their experiences in the school system and opportunities gained thereafter in the workplace.This work will draw on a study in which various stakeholders voice e.g. (Tony Se intimately) their experiences of why Black Boys in Britain perform poorly in schools and alsoseek to identify alternate(a) visionsof schooling to re-engage Black males thereby increasing their picture for a successful future.Research QuestionsWhat is the relationship amid under achievement and favorable exclusion of black boys studying in UK schools?How argon schools traffic with the issue of student underachievement of black students studying in UK institutions?Are all black boys underachieving?Significance of the StudyThis study is quite significant as it shows that high under-achievement rates argon not just an issue for black pupils. In 2005-2006 the stable under-achievement rate for supererogatory schools was 0.54% comp atomic number 18d with 0.34% for junior-grade and 0.04% for primary schools overall, pupils with statements of special educational requisite were seven times more possible to be excluded from school than pupils without statements (DCSF, 2007).Other groups who are over- delineated in the statistics include children looked after by local authorities and children from Gypsy and traveller families, despite the behaviour of traveling pupils macrocosm generally secure (OFSTED, 2006b). Links call for been make betwixt school under-achievement and long-term social under-achievement (Blyth Milner, 2003), as have links between school under-achievement and juvenile crime (Graham Bowling, 2005 Gilbertson, 2005) these links are also recognize by government as a policy issue (Social Under-achievement Unit, 2005).For many pupils steadfast under-achievement from school marks the end of their formal education a recent report by the Audit Commission (2006) suggests that solitary(prenominal) 15% of permanently excluded collateral pupils return to mainstream schooling.Chapter 2 Literature ReviewA follow-up of the literature on student under achievement highlights the fact that ethnic superviseing of under-achievement was first introduced by the DCSF in the 2004-2005 national schools nosecount. entropy from that census indicates that although Black Caribbean pupils form only 1.1% of the school population they represented 7.3% of those excluded from school and were around six times more possible to be excluded than their White peers.The disproportionate under-achievement of black boys is a particularly serious line because overall many more males than females are excluded official statistics show the ratio to be 4.3 boys for each excluded girl. Nevertheless, within the female school population, girls identified as Black Caribbean are also particularly defenseless to under-achievement the school census shows they accounted for 8.8% of excluded girls in 2004-2005 (DCSF, 2006) and are and then eight times more credibly to be excluded than might be suggested by the ethnic composition of schools. there is also evidence that African-Caribbean pupils have not shared equally in the increasing rates of mediocre educational performance at GCSE. An OFSTED-commissi unrivaledd review of investigate on the achievements of ethnic minority pupils over a 10 year goal up to 2005 concludes that the comparatively lower exam achievements of Caribbean pupils, curiously boys in a wide range of academic and LEA enquiry studies is a cause for concern.The research evidence suggests that A combination of sexual urge and racial stereotypes may pay off it more challenging for recent black men to avoid being caught up in cycles of increasingly horrendous criticism and control (Gillborn Gipps, 2006, pp. 29 and 58). For black families rising under-achievement rates, combined with boys relatively low take aims of achievement in public examinations, amount of m integrityy to an educational crisis.Under-achievement and supererogatory Educational NeedsIt has been suggested (for example, Norwich, 2004 Parffrey, 2004) that in some schools children ma y be excluded when it is mandatory as assessment and provision for special educational involve (SEN). epitome of permanent under-achievement from Birmingham schools during the 2006-2007 school year indicated that 53% of those excluded were on the schools special needs register.The Code of Practice relating to special educational needs (DfE, 2004a) requires schools to draw up an individual education plan (IEP) for a child identified as having SEN and outlines a series of stages in which the school is responsible, in co-operation with stand-in agencies, for get together these needs. It can be argued from a face-to-face experience and evidence from an consultation with a teacher that most of the black boys that are underachieving are SEN children who comes under social emotional and behavioural difficulties and probably that is why they are underachieving because the have not been diagnosed for IEP to be made on them yet.These are pupils whose learning and/or behavioural difficul ties may be placing stress on teachers but for whom the amount of redundant support is hold. It is possible that some of these childrens needs might have been met and under-achievement avoided if the school had been able to access appropriate additional support at an earlier stage.Although official national statistics recognise the over-representation of children with SEN among those excluded from school, these statistics only count excluded pupils with a statement of special education need and thus record pupils with SEN as a minority (17%) of all under-achievements (DCSF, 2007). Analysis of the Birmingham data, which furnishs us to consider all pupils on the special needs register, indicates that over half the children permanently excluded from Birmingham schools have identified special educational needs.If this pattern is replicated across the country, then it seems seeming that the extent to which unmet special educational needs may be impart to the problem of under-achieve ment has been under-estimated. It is possible that some LEAs with low proportions of children assessed as having special educational needs, both(prenominal) overall and from particular ethnic groups, may not be identifying children in need of SEN support. Where this correlates with high under-achievement rates, there is reason to suspect that unattended learning difficulties may lie behind some of the disciplinary problems.Ethnicity and lessen Under-achievementAn analysis of the payoff of groups under-achieving per tributary school over the three year period 2001-2003 with the number of under-achievement in the three years 2004-2006, in battle array to identify schools which had sign upd the number of pupils permanently excluded in Birmingham, show a reduction in the number of pupils excluded over this period, from an average of 11 to an average of seven per school.Those secondary schools which had reduced their use of permanent exclusion had, overall, edit under-achievement by nearly half for all ethnic groups. This suggests that where schools had veritable policies for trim under-achievement, these had been equally effective for all ethnic groups.Nevertheless, this still left black pupils to be over-represented among the under-achievement from these schools. The evidence suggests that if the problem of over-representation of black pupils is to be addressed and racial equality achieved then strategies which specifically address the needs of these children are important.Since African-Caribbean pupils organise some 28% of excluded pupils and only 8% of the school population in Birmingham, I wished to argue whether this might be because African-Caribbean pupils are more likely to attend schools with high under-achievement rates.A total of 14 schools with high under-achievement rates, i.e. schools which had permanently excluded 30 or more pupils in the 6 year period 2001-2006, were identified (two of them grant maintained schools). Of these, 11 had an African-Caribbean population of 8% or less and the new(prenominal) three had higher proportions of African-Caribbean children than for the city as a whole, ranging from 11 to 33%.Sewell (1998), mentions that African-Caribbean boys were six times more likely to be excluded from school as compared to the other group. Furthermore there are parentage that these black boys were seen to be conformists in that they were seen to be accepting both the core and goals of schooling but they are most likely to be excluded. in that location is evidence of an interrogate with a black boy on scallywag 113 which goes further to prove that not all boys are the same. This particular point is important to my research as there seems to be the assertion that all black boys are underachieving and this is what this research seeks to address. Sewell unpacks some of the oversimplification that exists in the incumbent debate about boys underachievement.He goes further to describe boys as a tip of the ic eberg in a doomsday scenario within the school. on that point seems to be a link between gender own(prenominal) identity and anti-school attitude which makes peer group pressure which is sensitive in boys to allow the generalization to be made about boys as unified lumps, in this content as underachieving academicallyIdentifying Good PracticeThe study desire to understand teachers and power point teachers attitudes and comees to under-achievement and to equal opportunities. Previous research studies have tended to leave out teachers perspectives and the ways in which under-achievement merge into the lives of schools (Gillborn Gipps, 2006), although Haydens (2007) study of children excluded from primary schools does consider the perspectives of both sharpen teachers and class teachers of excluded pupils.My study addressed schools with low or declining under-achievement rates with the aim of identifying good practice in minimising the practice of under-achievement.In particul ar, I wished to establish whether teachers in the case study schools felt supported in managing difficult or challenging pupil behaviour or whether a low under-achievement rate might be masking other problems and create stress to individuals work in these schools. Where schools are able to avoid under-achievement we wished to identify the alternative strategies they adopt.Teachers Explanations of Rising Under-Achievement RatesTeachers and head teachers in the case study schools were not asked about the impact of recent educational reforms, but as they reflected on pupil behaviour and their own attitudes to excluding pupils they made regular reference point to the changing social policy context in which they are working.They referred oft to the impact which market forces in education have made on school discipline, increased teacher workloads, sortd parental expectations and to how the National program had especial(a) the scope for schools to meet individual needs and address pupils personal and social behaviour.They broadly agree with Charlton David (2003), Blyth Milner (2004), and Hevey (2004) and Hayden (2007) that increased competition between schools for pupils and resources is a key underlying reason for a general rise in under-achievement.As Parffrey (2004) argues, Naughty children are bad currents in the market economy. No one wants them. They are bad for the image of the school, they are bad for the league tables, they are difficult and time-consuming, and they upset and stress the teachers.The teachers believed that although schools were all experiencing similar conditions, some had resisted excluding pupils who presented problems. In that have lower excluding rate such as their own, when teachers were working with numbers of children with behavioural difficulties, they argued that the costs of maintaining higher thresholds of tolerance were felt by teachers themselves, in terms of teacher stress and fatigue.Many teachers in the study, not ably those in primary schools who have responsibility for the whole curriculum, believed that the National Curriculum has led schools to accept a narrow view of education and, as Gray et al. (2004) have suggested, that it has diminished the importance of personal and social education.They indicated that curriculum pressures and demands for additional record keeping leave them with little time to support a disruptive child or to develop appropriate alternative materials for children with learning difficulties. This in turn can give out to frustration and ensuant disruption among such children if they are unable to succeed in the tasks set.Teachers set these difficulties within the context of wider social problems facing childrens families, notably unemployment and poverty. They suggested that pressures faced by children in school, allied to difficulties which a number of them were experiencing out of school and young peoples belief that schooling might not support them in dumb est ablishing future work, were having an impact on their motivation, even at primary levelWe are into the second generation of children whose parents have not worked. A people of the original reasons why people toed the line are not there any longer and I presuppose that a administer of the children in our school are living in situations where there does not seem an awful lot of point to education.Everyone wants to achieve in some form, but I feel at home and at school they are not seeing opportunities for themselves as individuals. Some of the traditional motivations are not there. So weve got to look at alternatives. Where we become negative its because of tiredness, its because of workload, its because of the amount of curriculum we have to cover. Weve lost sight of making it interesting. (Primary teacher)Interestingly, none of the teachers suggested that the removal of corporal punishment as a possible disciplinary pick had contributed to discipline problems, and ultimately to the increasing use of under-achievement as a sanction, as did a number of the teachers and parents in Haydens (2007) study of excluded children.Teachers Understandings of Racial matesitySome teachers also argued that pressures to meet the demands of the National Curriculum had led to an approach where teachers often fail to consider whether or not the content of lessons builds upon particular childrens experiences and cultures. This would lead some children to feel neglected or marginalised and thus more likely to become disaffected. One teacher argued that an inappropriate curriculum was part of the solution, as was inadequate teacher cooking, but felt that teacher expectations played a central roleThe over-representation of African-Caribbeanboys (among those excluded) is a very complicated issue. However, I gauge expectations make a big difference, and I hypothesise we do tend, thus far well intentioned, to see a black boy and think they are going to be trouble. A lot of thi s is down to the media and how they over emphasize issues about black boys, the society in general as well as other research induceings.I think that one of the problems is that after a long period of dependency (on National Curriculum requirements) and considering new teachers now, there is a whole generation of teachers who are sent into schools without the grounding of making decisions about what is appropriate for example SEN issues in the class (experience from sum teaching)These teachers comments about a generation of teachers being inadequately prepared to make decisions about appropriate curriculum content within the context of a culturally diverse classroom was supported by a number of newly qualified teachers. Such teachers reported that they wished to develop multicultural approaches but lacked training in this area and were un mindful(p) as to where they might find suitable materials. (Birmingham report 2004)Head teachers generally showed themselves to be more aware of issues relating to cultural diversity and racial equality than class teachers. Parffrey (2004) points out that schools in Canada and the USA do not exclude children since schooling is recognised as the means by which children realise their basic human right to education.According to research studies on teachers understating of racial equality none of the teachers or head teachers interviewed in the case study schools supported the abolition of permanent under-achievement, although all heads saw it as a last resort. A number characterised it as a failure on the part of the school I would recite permanent under-achievement is a defeat (secondary head teacher).Some head teachers recalled their personal sense of failure and distress as they recounted the experience of permanently excluding a pupil. Nevertheless, all the head teachers, including the two primary headsone of whom had never excluded and the other who had excluded only two pupils in 20 years as head teacheradvocated reta ining permanent under-achievement as an ultimate sanctionBehaviour PoliciesMost school had developed its own system of rewards and sanctions which were generally explicit in the behavioural code. The aim is to provide a structure of support for difficult pupils, with a system of rewards and a full range of lesser sanctions so that permanent under-achievement was, where possible, avoidedThere is some evidence (for example, Holland Hamerton, 2004) that even within schools there can be inconsistency in the types of criminal offence for which pupils are, and are not, excluded. Such inconsistency might, in certain destiny, allow sanctions to be applied in a discriminatory way.However, it could be argued that policies listing particular offences as leading to under-achievement should be avoided, as they could place heads in the position of having to exclude a pupil when mitigating circum placements might make under-achievement inappropriate.While this might mean treating the same offe nce differently when committed by different pupils or groups of pupils, it could also reduce the rate of under-achievement. It is essential that clear explanations of school policy are made to both pupils and parents, so they can see the justice of a schools approach.In some cases of under-achievement from school, teacher inexperience or lack of skills or training in managing difficult pupil behaviour may play a part (OFSTED, 2006a). A lot of the behavioural problems that exist , and I do not think there are many, are due to the fact that the whole staff have not got together to go over the approach to aspects of misbehaviour in real depth.So what I think is happening for example, if a member of staff does something inappropriate-this is not criticise a kid gets into the situation where the school has to send them home. But I think if we could change the approach in the classroom more, this would happen less. At the arcminute we have to react to situations and also we are trying to send a message to the students about the standards that are required of them.Pastoral Care and MentoringIn a case study of schools, (Birmingham city council 2004) particularly in the secondary schools, they felt that school discipline was directly related to the degree of regard which was shown to them by teachers and also to the level of support they received from teachers.A number stressed the importance of giving pupils occasional opportunities for individual tutorials with a teacher at which they might set personal or academic concerns. rough-and-ready pastoral care systems were also highlighted by a number of head teachers as contributing to good discipline and self-discipline among pupils. At some schools the behaviour policy was incorporated within the schools pastoral policyManaging difficult behaviour and developing discipline is to do with the whole school ethos. We are in the business of caring and supporting therefore we do some(prenominal) we can. We are in the bus iness of being fair. Another thing looked at was how to reinforce positive behaviour. (Head teacher, secondary school)Some schools had worked hard to ensure that their individualised and Social Education curriculum allowed all pupils to reflect on issues of their personal conduct. For example, some had introduced a mentoring programme for pupils who were presenting problems or who were disaffected.In one secondary school, a group of African-Caribbean boys who had been regularly in trouble and were perceived as vulnerable to under-achievement were being informally mentored by the (white male) head teacher. On the other hand, an African-Caribbean man could be invited to lead weekly sessions with African-Caribbean boys.Another aim was to raise self-esteem, and we be bring in consultants to work with the pupils on half-day conferences, to get them thought process about Where do I want to be in three or four or five years time?. (Head teacher, Birmingham school)Equal Opportunities Poli cy and PracticeOne explanation for the over-representation of African-Caribbean pupils within the under-achievement statistics is racism. The suggestion is not that most teachers operate in overly racist ways but that deep-seated stereotypes held by teachers and school governors may lead to black children being seen as having behavioural difficulties.Bridges (2004) suggests that with additional pressures on black families from high levels of unemployment, cuts in social spending, racial harassment and social dislocation oblige on their family and community life it is hardly surprising that some black children present themselves as aggressive in school, as this is a stance that society outside has taught them is necessary for survival.Stifling (2003), in her research into the causes of under-achievement , run aground that race often featured as a basis issue and that although schools think they treat all their pupils the same and do not exclude black pupils unfairly, they do not take into account the factors which have caused the unsufferable behaviour, particularly racial harassment by other pupils.She concludes Throughout the track of my research I have found evidence of open racism demonstrated by staff in schools to be uncommon. Far more common is the racial harassment of a black child by a white peer group. A government-commissioned study to establish why some schools appear more effective in managing pupil behaviour and avoiding under-achievement also highlighted racism, in the area if not in the school, as one of the problems likely to be experienced by excluded pupils (OFSTED, 2006a).Community and Support runPrevious research has suggested that in many cases of under-achievement , support from outside the school has been lacking, while the support provided within school has been to help the teacher cope, kinda than to help pupils overcome their problems (Abbotts Parsons, 2003). A case study schools drew on a wide range of outside support agenci es, including voluntary agencies, autarkical consultants and LEA support services. However, they noted that resources for LEA services were often limited and that they may not always be available for all pupils who need them.One community-based initiative which has been welcomed by a number of Birmingham schools is the KWESI project (Klein, 2006), a mentoring project run by black men which targets black boys judged to be vulnerable to under-achievement . The mentors enter into a partnership with schools to support individual children and KWESI asks its volunteers and move schools to adopt a no blame approach, so that both parties work for the best interests of the child.Although none of the case study schools was working directly with KWESI, evidence suggests that the scheme has been influential beyond the schools where volunteers are working. It has made head teachers aware of the need to address the disproportionate under-achievement of African-Caribbean boys and may have contri buted to a change in the climate of opinion.The Role of the LEAThere is a clear role for LEAs in providing feedback to schools on the patterns and trends in exclusions and the impact on under-achievement. monitor of exclusions varied considerably among schools. Some head teachers, for example, did not have the data to discuss numbers of frosty term exclusions in relation to permanent exclusions nor any evidence as to whether fixed term exclusions helped to prevent permanent exclusions.The desirability of recording and monitoring action taken to support vulnerable pupils was also stressed by a number of schools. Birmingham LEA shortly provides support for schools own monitoring by analysing their records to highlight any patterns in under-achievement by ethnic group and sex.A school wishing to monitor under-achievement thoroughly would need to collect and analyse data for both fixed term and permanent exclusions by sex, ethnic group, special educational needs, socio-economic backgro und (for example, by entitlement to free school meals) and year group. Schools can record additional data which might indicate a need for changes in practice or school policies for example, noting the pupils and teachers who are involved in incidents leading to under-achievement. LEAs might provide guidance in such matters and impute schools in touch with schools in similar circumstances who have found solutions to particular difficulties.Head teachers of schools with low under-achievement rates often feel penalised if they are asked to accept pupils excluded from other schools. Head teachers also suggested that the LEA might chew the fat a ceiling on the number of previously excluded pupils a school should be expected to take within a given period, thus protecting the support and resources available for difficult pupils within any one school.According to a research a school had received a small grant from the LEA to assist with the integration of excluded pupils. Although the hea d argued the currency had not stretched far, this was seen as a gesture of goodwill. Such funds can support an induction programme which might include additional direction and support from outside agencies. Other support for reintegration might include apportionment of a special teacher-tutor and the information of a peer group mentoring scheme. at bottom LEAs there is also a need for greater collaboration between those who address the needs of vulnerable children and curriculum and advisory services which have particular expertise regarding equal opportunities and race equality issues. In many LEAs responsibility for under-achievements rests with an individual or service responsible for special educational needs in such a situation questions of structural or unintended racism or possible racial discrimination are likely to have low priority if they are on the schedule at all.The West Midlands Under-achievement Forum, set up to bring together representatives from 9 LEAs to sha re expertise and develop policies and strategies to minimise school under-achievement, is a good example of inter-LEA co-operation. It is not just at the level of policy development that such co-operation is important. For children living in one area but aid school in a neighbouring LEA there are sometimes difficulties in the co-ordinated provision of services.Chapter 3 MethodologyResearch MethodFor this study I have utilised the qualitative research approach. Qualitative research is much more subjective than quantitative research and uses very different methods of collecting information, mainly individual, in-depth interviews and focus groups. However, since this research study is a secondary qualitative research the data that has been collected for qualitative analysis has been through an extensive review of literature that has been published in the field in the past few years.Secondary research is often less dear(p) than surveys and is extremely effective in acquiring informati on about peoples communicating needs and their responses to and views about specific communication. It is often the method of choice in instances where quantitative measurement is not required.For the purpose of this project the qualitative interview is the perfect approach to take using semi structured interviews. quantifiable research involves counting and measuring of events and performing the statistical analysis of a numerical data (Smith, 1988). The assumption behind this is that there is an objective fair play existing that can be measured and explained significantly. The main concerns of the quantitative approach are that, their measurement is reliable, valid and generalisable in its clear prediction of cause and effect (Cassell and Symon, 1994).Primary Data was collected first through interviews. Merriam (1994) say that Interviews are the best form of collecting evidence if the researcher wants to find out facts that cannot be observed. The student used semi-structured int