Scrutinising disproportionate media and political attention provided to the ills of the 'white working-class', this article examines the framing of their apparent underachievement in education policy and discourse in early post-Brexit vote England. In a political context dominated by anti-immigration and nationalist rhetoric, this article aims to…

Aspiration has come to play a central role in the British government's approach to educational underachievement. This article revisits research conducted in the 1970s by Paul Corrigan and Paul Willis to examine the impact of neo-liberalism on the school life of young teenagers. The behaviours of working-class children as described by Corrigan and…

The author discusses the work of Britain's Assessment of Performance Unit, a national program of performance monitoring to identify the incidence of underachievement. (CL)

This article offers suggestions to British teachers working with students who are so discouraged that praise appears to have no effect. Available knowledge about positive instructional approaches, the misuse of praise, and the value of collaborative problem solving is reviewed. (DB)

Seventy-two items testing various aspects of mathematics were given to 12,131 10-year-old British children. Despite the absence of difference in intelligence level, the mean scores on the mathematics test for children with dyslexia was not only lower than that of normal achievers, but also lower than that of underachievers. (Contains references.)…

The effects of renal failure on children are outlined and current research findings relevant to the physical and psychological effects of the handicap are summarized. Results from a survey of renal unit patients is noted to include that teachers in British renal units feel that many patients underachieve. (SW)

Britain's education system is a beleaguered service accused of failing young people who leave school early without developing their potential. Education will always fail if youngsters' capacities are sectioned off to match a pyramidal, hierarchical society. The conditions for a learning society are basically political, requiring creation of a…

The three principal commercially published science projects for less able/motivated students include units on electronics. A simple and inexpensive method of constructing electric circuits is described. Suggestions for making the material in the published units applicable to circuits found in everyday situations are offered. (JN)

Guidelines for providing appropriate education to hospitalized children are offered, based on 1994 standards developed by the British Government. Four case studies illustrate the variety of student needs and hospital settings. (DB)

Considers various research projects attempting to explain examination outcome differences between boys and girls and describes policies to resolve the "problem." British girls have higher attainment levels in English, Welsh, languages, and humanities; no achievement gaps exist in other subjects. There are no convincing explanations or…

This literature review, brings together evidence from British research, policy, and practice regarding how children and young people in public care fare within the education system. The review suggests that many of the barriers to educational progress lie in the social work and education systems and their interaction, and argues that increased…

Describes current efforts of a project designed to improve girls' attitudes toward physical science and craft subjects and to elect more science classes, including raising teachers' awareness of girls' underachievement, testing attitudes/knowledge for later comparison, and arranging school visits by working women to act as role models. (JN)

This paper examines the evidence that Black children of West Indian origin in British schools are underachieving relative to their White counterparts and discusses factors which may underlie these research findings. It also considers educational problems of children of Jamaican origin and education of Jamaican children in Jamaica itself.…

Reviews feminist literature and studies of Black female subcultures to trace the interaction of gender and race. Critiques research concerning self-concept, stereotyping, and achievement of Black pupils, concluding that antisexist and antiracist policies are needed to overcome the obstacles to intellectual development of these students in the…

Discusses the allocative and selective procedures of a multiracial British comprehensive school. Argues that future studies should consider which students attend which schools and take which courses. Addresses student placement based on English, mathematics, and social studies test results. Concludes that the term "underachiever" is a…