The Influence of Parents, Places and Poverty on Educational Attitudes and Aspirations
| Title | The Influence of Parents, Places and Poverty on Educational Attitudes and Aspirations |
| Author(s) | Ralf St Clair, Keith Kintrea, Muir Houston |
| Organisation | University of Glasgow for Joseph Rowntree Foundation |
| Date | 5 October 2011 |
| No. of pages | Full Report – 77, Summary - 4 |
| Key words | Poverty; parenting; 14-19; 16-19; urban deprivation; social mobility; educational attainment; learner attainment; labour market; higher education; information, advice and guidance; social exclusion; peer influence; character building; youth unemployment; family networks |
| Description | The report examines the nature of aspirations, explores how parental circumstances and attitudes, school and opportunity structures come together to shape aspirations in deprived urban areas; and argues that the approach to intervention should be reconsidered. It researched three disadvantaged areas: one in London, one in Nottingham and one in Glasgow. |
| Select quotations | “Young people had high aspirations; they wanted to go to university and attain professional and managerial jobs in greater numbers than the labour market could fulfil.” “The period between ages 13 and 15 was critical, and the importance of place was underlined by changes in ambitions in the three areas over this time. In Nottingham and Glasgow aspirations for university attendance fell, but increased slightly in London (where they were already the highest).” “Among young people and their families with high aspirations, knowledge of the pathways through education and employment to realise these ambitions was limited.” “The authors conclude that policy to increase social mobility needs to go beyond assumptions about certain communities having low aspirations – it needs to tackle barriers to fulfilling them. Policies also need tailoring to the specifics of areas. Better information is required to support young people in understanding how schooling, post-compulsory education and work fit together.” “…it is not enough for young people to aspire: they also need to be able to navigate the paths to their goals.” “The study found a lack of fit between young people’s employment ambitions and the kinds of jobs available in the local labour market. Students need exposure to a greater range of occupations, along with a better understanding of job content.” “Continual support is needed at every stage of young people’s development, as well as mechanisms to ensure that young people who do not take advantage of opportunities at the traditional school age are not marginalised for life.” “Policy needs to recognise how aspirations are deeply affected by individuals’ experience, such as their level of engagement with school, the influence of peer groups and the attitudes of family members towards work and education.” “Parents and families play a key role. The study found clear alignment between what parents said they wanted for their children, and what young people aspired to.” |
| Link (summary) | www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/young-people-education-attitudes-summary.pdf |
| Link (full report | http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/young-people-education-attitudes-full.pdf |
