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The Changing Landscape of Opportunity for Young People

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Youth Identities, Education and Employment

Part of the book series: Policy and Practice in the Classroom ((PPC))

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Abstract

At a recent family gathering, my 17-year-old nephew and I spent a lot of time talking about his plans for the coming year. His exams were looming, followed by an anxious wait for the results and important and economically loaded decisions about which higher education course to pursue. The pressure he was experiencing to make the grade was clear to all the family and no amount of time spent studying could relieve the strain, such was the weight of expectation. His experiences are not uncommon; according to research, pressure to achieve exam and university participation has become the norm for 17–18-year-olds (Hoskins and Barker 2014; Brown et al. 2011; Stobart 2008).

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The terms ‘blue collar’ and ‘white collar’ are occupational classifications that distinguish workers who perform manual labour from workers who perform professional jobs. Historically, blue-collar workers wore uniforms, usually blue, and worked in trade occupations. White-collar workers typically wore white, button-down shirts and worked in office settings. Other aspects that distinguish blue-collar and white-collar workers include earnings and education level.

  2. 2.

    In this book, I use the term non-traditional students to encompass school leavers, mature students, and other historically excluded groups, such as women, the working classes and those from minority ethnic backgrounds (Crozier et al. 2010).

  3. 3.

    Every year the government publishes data on the attainment of pupils in schools in England, in what it describes as ‘achievement and attainment tables’.

  4. 4.

    GCSE refers to General Certificate in Secondary Education examinations, which students take at age 15-16 years in England.

  5. 5.

    Free school meals are available to children whose parent/carer is in receipt of state benefits.

  6. 6.

    London is formed of 32 boroughs, each with their own local politicians and governance structures.

  7. 7.

    Academy schools were introduced from 2000 onwards in England. They are state schools that are outside of Local Education Authority (LEA) control.

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  1. School of Education, University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom

    Kate Hoskins

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  1. Kate Hoskins
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Hoskins, K. (2017). The Changing Landscape of Opportunity for Young People. In: Youth Identities, Education and Employment. Policy and Practice in the Classroom. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-35292-7_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-35292-7_1

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