They say love makes the world go around. But when it comes to education and the world of work –money makes all the difference. On the whole, the more money you have, the better you’ll do at school. And the better your work prospects will be after that. Of course, there are plenty of examples where this doesn’t hold. But these are exceptions.
Along with Cambridge, Oxford University is the premier educational establishment in the UK. Oxbridge graduates are the ones leading the country in law, politics and the media. Recently, Oxford University published data that showed that one in four of its colleges had not admitted any black students between 2015 and 2017. The university vehemently denies being racist. Yet, at the same time only 11% of Oxford’s 2017 intake came from disadvantaged backgrounds. 45% of black children grow up in poverty in the UK compared to 25% of white children (a figure discussed in the BBC documentary Will Britain Ever Have A Black Prime Minister?). So, it’s clear to see that race and class intertwine, making it difficult for certain groups to succeed.
My parents are both from the Caribbean and arrived in Britain as part of the Windrush generation. I was lucky enough to attend well-funded state schools in North West London. But had my mum not had the cash to pay for private Economics tuition before my A-level exams, then there’s no way I would have achieved an A-grade in that subject. I managed to achieve the coveted three A-grades at A-level (in also Psychology and English Literature) because of this.
When Tottenham MP David Lammy accused Oxford University of institutional racism, a lot of people were outraged. Much of the Twitter response was that black students should just work a bit harder so that they could achieve three A-grades at A-level.
However, champions are not born – they’re made. People succeed through a mixture of natural talent, hard work, determination and expert training and coaching. How are people supposed to succeed if they can’t afford access to top-class teaching?
My work as a personal English and writing tutor for mostly black and minority ethnic (BAME) students demonstrated this. I saw time and again how encouraging students to tap into their creativity increases their ability to think and express themselves. Naturally, that leads to them writing better essays and getting better grades.
That sense of mastery then seeps into other areas and can create a virtuous cycle. The trouble is this kind of support comes at a price. My students were by no means wealthy, but they could afford the extra help.
There’s this mystical idea that poorer people are diamonds in the rough. We celebrate the ones who through pure grit, rise to the top. We romanticise the struggle and celebrate their rags to riches success. But doing so just reinforces the idea that they are unicorns. Meanwhile, there are lots of smart people whose talents are simply not harnessed because they live in under-funded areas.
A key problem is that the yardstick used to measure the majority of a student’s achievement is writing. And that is the thing that is not explicitly taught in the National Curriculum. Yes, literacy, vocabulary and reading are a huge part of the syllabus. But students are not taught exactly how to express themselves in writing. I believe that being properly taught how to write will level the playing field and give all students a chance to shine.
A government-wide focus on teaching writing skills could help. Partnering with specialist writing coaches and trainers could also help. As could encouraging students to see how writing can be joyful and isn’t all about grammar mistakes and their teacher’s red pen instructing them what they did wrong.
A few creative changes could help to ensure that people have the writing skills they need, irrespective of what they go on to do after school. Plus, it could bridge the achievement gap that leaves black and minority ethnic pupils (and those of lower economic status) unable to access the best opportunities. This is doubly important as employers have long complained that the writing skills of school leavers and graduates alike are simply not up the scratch.
But it has to start with the intention that everyone can learn writing skills. And that all students – regardless of race, colour, class and creed – deserve to be given a voice.
Source:-.forbes.
