In the context of widening participation policies, polarisation of types of university recruitment and a seemingly related high drop-out rate amongst first generation, working class students, we focus on the provision offered by the universities to their students. We discuss how middle class and working class student experiences compare across…

This essay examines the formation, operation, and social effects of adult education classes in France during the nineteenth century. These classes were created and operated prior to the formation of France's national education system and were part of the expansion of primary schooling for the working class, or more generally for "the…

Draws on a longitudinal study of middle class and working class girls growing up to examine those few working class girls who managed to get to the university and face the prospect of a professional career. Explores the complexities of the losses and gains involved in the educational success and upward mobility for working-class young women and…

Examines the experiences of 12 working class women attending an Access course at an inner city further education college. Risks and costs involved in transitioning to higher education were evident in the women's narratives. Material and cultural factors inhibited their access to higher education. The desire to "give something back"…

Framed by discourses of lifelong learning and widening participation, further education Access to University courses attract mature students from a range of social backgrounds. This paper focuses on eight women students who, to varying degrees, share educational and occupational histories and aspirations. We explore their experiences of the Access…