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102083:
Diversity, Social Justice and Learning

Assessment Task 1:

Low Socioeconomic status and the impacts it has on student

achievement and access to resources within the Greater
Western Sydney area.
In a speech given at the Association of School and College Leaders conference by the Secretary

of State Education Justine Greening, a significant statement was made which will underpin the

research this essay will aim to produce. In this particular conference, Greening (2017) stated,

'too often a child's life chances are shaped by where they went to school and where they're

growing up, and we shouldn't accept that'. This statement contextualises the multiple factors

which could impact student ability and success within schooling. A few of these factors are

discussed by Kail & Cavanaugh (2010) in their study of human development, where they draw

on the Ecological systems theory presented by Urie Bronfenbrenner in 1979. They describe the

Macro-system, which refers to the cultural context to which an individual is born into,

including socioeconomic status, ethnicity and the level of development of a specific country.

Socioeconomic status (SES) refers to individual or groups' economic and social position

within the larger society based on measuring factors such as employment, education, health,

location and wealth (Bornstein & Bradley, 2014). An extensive amount of research has

presented ideas of educational inequality based on an individual's socioeconomic status. This

essay will aim to present an understanding of how low socio-economic status can impact

student achievement, outlining multiple explanations by drawing scholarly research within this

field and relevant sociological theories while linking this to the Greater Western Sydney

Region, which has predominantly related to high cases of low socioeconomic backgrounds.

The Cancer Council NSW (2018) defines the Greater Western Sydney Area as encompassing

fourteen different local city councils, from Parramatta to the Blue Mountains and Wollondilly

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(see figure 1). For this essay, the entire Greater western Sydney region will be observed.

However, there will be a specific focus on the Liverpool and Fairfield City Councils.

In a research conducted by the Sydney Morning Herald in 2016 regarding student performance

within the Higher School Certificate exam, results showed an unfavourable difference between

areas which would be considered High SES and those which we find Low SES (many of which

fall within the mapped Greater Western Sydney region in figure 1). The conductors of this

research mapped out 330 schools within Sydney and compared how many students from

various suburbs achieved a band 6 (90-99). The results (which can be seen in figure 2)

demonstrated that a bit less than twenty-eight percent of all band six marks belonged to students

within the City of Sydney or Sydney CBD area, while at a close second with twenty-six percent

was the Hills Shire, both these suburbs would be considered as High SES. While on the

opposite end of the spectrum, students from the Fairfield Area only accumulated for eight

percent of students who achieved a band six within the HSC, while in the Liverpool area this

figured was even lower with only three percent. The Hawkesbury demonstrated the lowest

figures, with less than two percent (Bagshaw & Ting, 2016) [see figure 2].

The results of this research play into a more comprehensive scope of scholarly research which

distinguishes that socioeconomic status plays a vital role in student achievement at school. This

achievement gap between high and low socioeconomic status is one that is unrelenting and

widely accepted by many educational researchers, including Gamoran (2007) who states that

comparative results amongst schools in various standardised tests exhibit this achievement gap

between high and low socioeconomic areas. Additional, Gamoran (2007) also makes a

comparison of student results within specifics schools in Low socioeconomic regions,

expressing that students who come from a more significant socioeconomic background

compared to others in their class also tend to perform better.

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This achievement gap can be teased out to further by reinforcing research which indicates that

before even entering the schooling system, results have demonstrated that children from lower

socioeconomic status tend to be behind on literacy and numeracy skills compared to their peers

(Duncan, Ludwig & Magnuson, 2007). In a report compiled by the Department of Education

and Training (2008), results showed that only 1.4 percent of students from Northern Sydney

were below the literacy standard minimum and two percent were below the numeracy standard.

While within the Greater Western Sydney region 19.5 percent of students fell below the literacy

standard and 20.7 percent fell below the numeracy standard (see figure 3).

So why does this occur?

Many educational researchers have concluded various reasons to why this achievement gap

between high SES and low SES has become so visibly prominent, including family educational

background and access to resources, which we will discuss further.

The German sociologist, Max Weber coined the theory of stratification, also known as the

Weberian stratification which describes the establishment of class systems as a by-product of

three distinct ideal types which are their social class, status and party. In this theory, Weber

argued that social order can be presented through a person's status (prestige), their economic

class and political order through their party (Hurst, 2007). Furthermore, Weber argued that

these three dimensions played an essential role in an individual's 'life chances' or opportunities

for one to improve the quality of their lives (Hughes, Sharrock & Martin, 2003). Focusing

specifically on the dimension of class, Hurst (2007) writes that at its core, a class is an economic

concept which relates to how an individual can situate themselves into the dominant social

marketplace, which directly affects their life chances. In their chapter, Yu & Daraganova

(2015) build on this idea of life chances by discussing recent statistics within Australia and

how they demonstrate that children who come more economically disadvantaged households

are affected both in short and long-term aspects of life:

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 Short term: lower literacy skills, behind in school readiness and cognitive development

by the ages of 3.

 Long term: lower levels of academic achievement at schools, employment and

earnings.

Research has demonstrated that children who reside in more socioeconomically disadvantaged

areas have lower access to resources at home to succeed in schooling such as resources that

form a foundation for learning, including books and learning materials (workbooks, stationery,

ICT). Similarly, parents may not be able to afford additional educational networks or services

to help their children further in succeeding (The Smith Family, 2018). This contributes to what

has become referred to as the cycle of disadvantage, which starts with parental income and

skills (see figure 4). Applying this research to census results has also demonstrated that 35

percent of households within the Inner West council (Areas including Balmain, Leichhardt,

Newtown, etc.) had an income of greater than 2,500 dollars based on average home sizes of

2.35 people (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018). Despite the smaller geographic area and

denser population size, results showed the Liverpool City council only had 22.5 percent of

households that had an income higher than 2,500 dollars a week, based on average home sizes

3.20 people (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018). In the Fairfield city council, figures were

even lower with only 16.3 percent of households having an income greater than 2,500 dollars

a week based on average home sizes of 3.29 people (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018).

Furthermore, schools within low-socioeconomic areas depend on school equity funding (we

will revisit this) to access resources and support required. However, there have been many

issues with school funding by Government and its inadequacy. In 2017, The Daily Telegraph

reported significant funding cuts to schools within the Liverpool and Fairfield City Council,

with over 37.5 million dollars cut over the next two years as a part of new reforms. This means

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fewer teachers can be appointed; fewer resources can be accessed by schools and less support

staff being brought into classrooms (Loussikian, 2017).

Moving from the economic factors which contribute to student achievement, Pierre Bourdieu

also discusses the impacts of cultural reproduction in the transmission cultural norms and

values to preserve their advantage (Bilton, 1997). This is referred to as cultural capital and

includes the accumulated knowledge that confers social status and power (Harker, 1990). The

theory of cultural reproduction involves three essential concepts in maintaining social

advantage; parental cultural capital which is inherited by children, which is converted by

children into educational credentials and used as mechanisms for social reproduction (Sullivan,

2001). Jæger & Møllegaard (2017) argue that children who come from lower socioeconomic

backgrounds benefit less from their cultural reproduction because their setting fails to recognise

and valorise its cultural capital, compared to children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.

DiMaggio (1982) adds to this by stating that success is harder to attain for students from social

and cultural backgrounds that are not corresponding the values and knowledge of 'middle class'

students.

The building of this idea of cultural backgrounds, Niemeyer (2015) also adds that it is difficult

for refugee children to benefit from cultural capital because their families still lack the cultural

capital needed within the new setting; The family is equipped with the cultural capital that is

valid in their home country. Ferfolja & Vickers (2010) write that the Greater Western Sydney

area demonstrate some of the most substantial numbers of refugee settlement in Australia, with

almost 80% of humanitarian visas between 2001-2006 settling in these areas. As many refugees

come from distressed backgrounds, they often lack the cultural capital which they can transmit

to their children to be used for further success in schools.

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Parental education background has an important impact on student achievement, as results

from research conducted by Khan, Iqbal & Tasneem (2015) showed that parents who come

from a strong educational background could provide extra support in aspects of literacy &

numeracy, homework and monitoring student progression. This is a form of cultural capital

which is reproduced in generally higher socioeconomic households. According to the

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2018), within the Liverpool Area, only 20.9 percent of the total

population over the age of fifteen had completed a full high school certificate and similarly in

the Fairfield Area only 23.3 percent (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018).

The NSW Department of Education & Training has attempted to implement initiatives aimed

at helping students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The purpose of these equity programs,

as the NSW Department of Education & Training (2010) states are to help improve the literacy

and numeracy skills within socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, as well as seek to enhance

engagement outcomes as a means to narrow the achievement gap which was discussed earlier.

The Priority Schools Programs were introduced to serve this purpose and include two aspects,

the Priority Schools Funding Program (PSFP) and the Priority School Action Program (PSAP).

The PSFP are funding grants received by schools based on school socioeconomic status and

enrolment numbers, which is obtained through a survey. The PSAP, however, are more

targeted funds aimed at helping specific schools effectively develop strategies to support

student achievement improve (NSW Department of Education & Training 2009). In 2003,

seventy-four schools were selected as a part of the PSAP and received grants of 100,000-

400,000 dollars to help student engagement improve (Lamb, 2005). The Priority School Action

Program and Western Sydney University both collaborated on a program to help effectively

engage students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, called the Fair Go Project. The Fair Go

Project aims to create High cognitive, operative and effective students, beginning with first

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engaging teachers/pre-service teachers in professional development, equipping them with

strategies to overcome engagement issues (Munns, 2008).

It is undeniable that socioeconomic status plays a fundamental role in student achievement

whilst in schooling, which is evident through the wide research around this social justice issue.

The association between one’s access to resources (both economic and cultural/social) and

their performance in schools are linked. While this does not mean a verdict of certain failure,

this association can cause hardship for students within schooling environments. Therefore,

priority funding, school community and educational support are a part of the foundational

concepts that play a role in the solutions for low SES students/schools. This will allow for

students to access the much-needed resources to meet the same level of achievement their

counterparts in higher socioeconomic demographics, consequently giving these students an

equal level of education regardless a student's economic and social position within society.

Final word count: 2017

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References List:

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). 2016 Census QuickStats: Fairfield. Australian

Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 20 March 2018, from
http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/L
GA12850?opendocument

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). 2016 Census QuickStats: Inner West. Australian
Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 20 March 2018, from
http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/L
GA14170?opendocument

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). 2016 Census QuickStats: Liverpool. Australian

Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 20 March 2018, from
http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/L
GA14900?opendocument

Bagshaw, E., & Ting, I. (2016). HSC results 2016: Sydney divided by education 'latte
line'. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2018, from
https://www.smh.com.au/education/hsc-results-2016-sydney-divided-by-education-latte-
line-20161221-gtfhpf.html

Bilton, T. (1997). Introductory Sociology. Houndmills: Macmillan Press.

Bornstein, M., & Bradley, R. (2014). Socioeconomic Status, Parenting, and Child
Development. New York, NY: Routledge.

DiMaggio, P. (1982). Cultural Capital and School Success: The Impact of Status Culture
Participation on the Grades of U.S. High School Students. American Sociological
Review, 47(2), 189-201.

Duncan, G., Ludwig, J., & Magnuson, K. (2007). Reducing Poverty through Preschool
Interventions. The Future of Children, 17(2), 143-160.

Ferfolja, T., & Vickers, M. (2010). Supporting refugee students in school education in
Greater Western Sydney. Critical Studies in Education, 51(2), 149-162.

Gamoran, A. (2007). Introduction: Can standards-based reform help reduce the poverty
gap in education?. In A. Gamoran, Standards-based reform and the poverty gap: Lesson
for no child left behind. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

Greening, J. (2017). Education at the core of social mobility. GOV.UK. Retrieved 15

March 2018, from
http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/28475/1/Justine%20Greening_%20education%20at%20the%20core
%20of%20social%20mobility%20-%20GOV.UK.pdf

Harker, R. (1990). Education and Cultural Capital. In R. Harker, C. Mahar & C.

Wilkes, An Introduction to the Work of Pierre Bourdieu. London: Macmillan Press.

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Hughes, J., Sharrock, W., & Martin, P. (2003). Understanding classical Sociology.
London: Sage Publications Inc.

Hurst, C. (2007). Social Inequality: Forms, Causes, and Consequences. Boston, MA:
Pearson Education.

Jæger, M., & Møllegaard, S. (2017). Cultural capital, teacher bias, and educational
success: New evidence from monozygotic twins. Social Science Research, 65, 130-144.

Kail, R., & Cavanaugh, J. (2010). The study of Human Development. In R. Kail & J.
Cavanaugh, Human development: a life-span view. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Khan, R., Iqbal, N., & Tasneem, S. (2015). The influence of Parents Educational level on
Secondary School Students Academic achievements in District Rajanpur. Journal of
Education and Practice, 6(16), 76-80.

Lamb, S. (2005). Equity programs for government schools in New South Wales: a
review. NSW Department of Education & Training. Retrieved 30 March 2018, from
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/research/completedprojects/nswequityrev
.pdf

Loussikian, K. (2017). Fairfield and Liverpool schools set for $35 million shortfall over
two years. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 April 2018, from
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/fairfield-advance/fairfield-and-liverpool-
schools-set-for-35-million-shortfall-over-two-years/news-
story/6eab5055d5e2eba8f87b975adb77a078

Munns, G. (2007). A sense of wonder: pedagogies to engage students who live in

poverty. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 11(3), 301-315.

Niemeyer, M. (2015). The Cultural and Social Capital of Unaccompanied Refugee

Children (Masters). Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.

NSW Department of Education & Training. (2009). NSW Priority Schools Programs
Guidelines. Analysis & Policy Observatory. Retrieved 30 March 2018, from
http://apo.org.au/system/files/30253/apo-nid30253-70411.pdf

NSW Department of Education & Training. (2010). Equity and Special Education
Programs in Schools. NSW Department of Education & Training. Retrieved 30 March
2018, from http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/detresources/equity-
speduprog_jpOYgUSyrm.pdf

Sullivan, A. (2001). Cultural Capital and Educational Attainment. Sociology, 35(04), 893-
912.

The Cancer Council NSW. (2018). Greater Western Sydney Regional Information. Cancer
Council NSW. Retrieved 15 March 2018, from
https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/38636/local-services/greater-western-sydney-
region/about-us-greater-west-sydney/greater-western-sydney-regional-
service/?pp=40433&cc=7642&&ct=35

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The Department of Education and Training. (2008). Improving Literacy and Numeracy in
NSW Public Schools. Audit Office of New South Wales. Retrieved 18 March 2018, from
http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/140/183_Improving_Literacy_Numerac
y.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y

The Smith Family. (2018). The Cycle of Disadvantage. The Smith Family. Retrieved 20
March 2018, from https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/poverty-in-australia

United Way Australia. (2018). Macquarie Business Park Partnership. United Way
Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2018, from
https://unitedway.com.au/learning/macquarie-business-park-partnership

Yu, M., & Daraganova, G. (2015). Children's early home learning environment and
learning outcomes in the early years of school. In K. Day & L. Wang, The Longitudinal
Study of Australian Children Annual statistical report 2014. Melbourne: Australian
Institute of Family Studies.

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Figures:

Figure 1:
The Cancer Council NSW.
(2018). Greater Western Sydney
Regional Information. Cancer
Council NSW. Retrieved 15
March 2018, from
https://www.cancercouncil.com.a
u/38636/local-services/greater-
western-sydney-region/about-us-
greater-west-sydney/greater-
western-sydney-regional-
service/?pp=40433&cc=7642&&
ct=35

Figure 2:
Bagshaw, E., & Ting, I. (2016). HSC results 2016: Sydney divided by education 'latte
line'. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2018, from
https://www.smh.com.au/education/hsc-results-2016-sydney-divided-by-education-latte-line-
20161221-gtfhpf.html
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Figure 3:
The Department of Education and Training. (2008). Improving Literacy and Numeracy
in NSW Public Schools. Audit Office of New South Wales. Retrieved 18 March 2018,
from
http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/140/183_Improving_Literacy_Numer
acy.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y

Figure 4:
United Way Australia. (2018). Macquarie
Business Park Partnership. United Way
Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2018,
from
https://unitedway.com.au/learning/macqu
arie-business-park-partnership

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