Alan Dyson Centre for Equity in Education University of Manchester
England has a long history of inequality… …and is still unequal
Outcomes are shaped by socio-economic background The Marmot Review (2010) Fair society, healthy lives DCSF (2009) Deprivation and education
Longitudinal and Lifecourse Studies, 2(1), 2011) Gaps appear early They don’t narrow There’s a gradient – not a cliff Schools ameliorate – but they don’t transform
Bethan Thomas, John Pritchard, Dimitris Ballas, Dan Vickers and Danny Dorling Social & Spatial Inequalities Research Group Department of Geography The University of Sheffield A Tale of Two Cities: The Sheffield Project …but places also are unequal
So, what needs to be done? And what can schools do?
Interconnections matter… Fabian Society (2006) Narrowing the Gap
Working on learning Working with the child Working with the family Working with the area
A US response One of our core beliefs is that in poor communities where, literally, all of the institutions are failing children, you can’t do one thing and expect you’ll solve the issue of scale. I mean, you can save some children with an early intervention programme, and you can save some children if you work with addicted mothers, and you can save some children if you have after-school programs. But if you start talking about how you’re going to save most of the children, you have to do all those things, and do them over the long term, and you have to make sure you count how many children actually received those services.
The HCZ pipeline
The English version?
Students facing disadvantage may do better Many children may understand more, and feel better about the school & themselves
Families & adults facing disadvantage may do better Schools may: enjoy better community relations develop greater capacity perform better The returns on investment can be substantial
Create a local learning network Create an empowered community Enhance opportunities for local people
Create a local learning network Create an empowered community Enhance opportunities for local people
Some key questions
Cummings, C., Dyson, A., & Todd, L. (2011) Beyond the School Gates: Can full service and extended schools overcome disadvantage? (London, Routledge) Centre for Equity in Education centres/cee/