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How well can we predict educational outcomes? Examining the roles of cognitive ability and social position in educational attainment

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  • Tim Morris
  • Danny Dorling
  • George Davey Smith

Abstract

Social inequalities in UK educational outcomes continue to persist despite improvements in recent years. However, studies that examine these inequalities fail to account for differences in prior cognitive ability. We seek to determine the influence of cognitive ability on educational outcomes and the extent of socio-economic disparities in education across a wide range of indicators while accounting for cognitive ability. Social inequalities exist whereby children from disadvantaged backgrounds systematically underperform compared to their advantaged peers regardless of cognitive ability; high ability children from disadvantaged backgrounds are disproportionately less likely to attain good grades compared to children from advantaged backgrounds. In addition, school effects operate to add to this inequality as children in fee-paying secondary schools outperform their state secondary school counterparts regardless of ability. Future UK policies should focus on reducing social inequality in education to ensure that all children are offered the same life chances regardless of background.

Suggested Citation

  • Tim Morris & Danny Dorling & George Davey Smith, 2016. "How well can we predict educational outcomes? Examining the roles of cognitive ability and social position in educational attainment," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2-3), pages 154-168, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rsocxx:v:11:y:2016:i:2-3:p:154-168
    DOI: 10.1080/21582041.2016.1138502
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    Cited by:

    1. Julie MacLeavy & David Manley, 2018. "(Re)discovering the lost middle: intergenerational inheritances and economic inequality in urban and regional research," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(10), pages 1435-1446, October.

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