This is also the case in The Children's Act of 1989 as part of the welfare checklist to take into account "the child's physical, emotional and educational needs".
Expectations reflect the ways in which pupils predict their own performance level, it depends on previous experience. Self-expectation is therefore learned and influenced by parents, teachers and others. To enhance self-esteem in order to aid academic achievement pupils who lack success in learning often react
to failure by non-involvement strategies. They have a lack of motivation and retreat into dullness and laziness. When handing out jobs, the teacher only focused on previous achievement.
Purkey outlined the following strategies in order for teachers to increase their pupils' self-esteem:
Challenge the pupil e.g., "This is hard but I think you can do it"
Give some freedom. Pupils must have freedom to make real decisions
Respect the pupil. The teacher should never lower a pupils self worth
Academic achievement and social class are closely interlinked. Statistics indicate that social class is directly related to educational success. Occupational class is used as an indicator of standards of living, "A person's named occupation is basically a pragmatic guide to that persons social position and his or her likely command over resources, it is an approximate indicator of family living standards or social position" (Black)
There are explanations for class affecting educational achievement. The first is Material Deprivation. There are "hidden costs" of free education such as uniform, transport, books and school meals. So being in a lower occupational class does effect a persons socio-economic status and thus has a direct affect on achievement in school. Also, the way in which a family is socialized has a large affect on school work.
Douglas did a longitudinal study on the influence of parental interest on educational success. He claimed that this was the single most important influence on achievement for children.
The explanation was that middle-class children receive "better" standards of care and that middle-class parents provide more stimulating home environments. Including encouragement and help with homework.
Also, there are cultural problems for the child from a lower-class background. Language styles are different from that the child is used to at home, which can cause him or her to feel divided from the rest of the class, the "odd one out".