Attainment - black and minority ethnic groups (UK)

School structure

Perceptions of Black students having lower ability influences the low expectations teachers have of Black children

Stereotyped negative assumptions about the ability of Black children being able to achieve lead to Black people viewed as genetically/intellectually inferior and Black pupils set lower attainment targets, placed in lower sets/streams and entered in lower tiered examinations, and being less likely to be recognised as academically gifted (Gillborn and Youdell 1996; Tikly et al., 2006; Dunne et al., 2007; Gillborn 2008). This is evident internationally:

• deficit thinking influences behaviours.
• at the classroom level, it manifests into less challenge and rigor in the curriculum for [Black] students, which is a significant factor in the even larger issue of the achievement gap.
• in gifted education, deficit thinking can take (and has taken) the form of teachers either not referring or under-referring [Black] students for gifted education screening, identification, and placement' (Ford et al., 2011:240-1).