Outline some of the ways in which material deprivation may affect educational achievements. (12 marks)

Outline some of the ways in which material deprivation may affect educational achievements. (12 marks) Material deprivation has a significant impact on individual’s educational achievements as a whole. The type of housing that the pupils are living in can have both a direct and indirect effect an individual’s achievement within their education; an example of a direct impact on education is their housing arrangements. Individuals housing circumstances can effect ones education alone. This is because if they are a large family living in a small home or flats then the children will not have their own place for designated silent study, effecting their achievement within school as they cant focus on only school work at any given time. However, those with large homes have more space in which they can have areas for study. Allowing these individuals to have independent time to complete their homework, this means that they are going to take in more information in which they have been taught in class and to go over for independent study, having an overall positive correlation to their achievements within school. However, the pupils health and welfare is seen as an indirect affect on their achievements within education, this is because if they are living in a home that is poorly structured there may be a greater chance of an accident taking place, or and issue with dampness within the property. This can affect an individual’s health and therefore they will be more likely to have time off school ill. This shows that the individuals will not be getting the equitable amount of education per year. Therefore, meaning that these pupils will have a negative impact on their overall performance within academia. Diet and Health also have a great effect on ones educational achievements, this is because the right amount of nutrition provides individuals with energy to help the brain work effectively. Marilyn Howard (2001) states ‘children from poor homes have a lower intake of energy, leading to a greater amount of absents from school’ this allows us to see that without the right amount of food you can become ill and therefore lead to individuals taking time out of education, this is mainly seen within families with a lower income as they may not be able to supply the children with the right proportion of certain foods, this shows that the children are having a negative correlation to their education as a result. However, children from wealthier families are able to buy the right amount of food needed for a healthy lifestyle, this therefore means that children from richer families are more likely to be healthier and have a well balanced diet, meaning that they are going to be more focused with the right amount of energy given to the brain in order for it to have a positive relationship with the task ahead. Richard Wilkinson (1996) states ’10 year olds from lower social classes have a greater rate of hyperactivity’ this will have a negative result on their overall outcome within education. This is due to them not consuming the right nutrition for a healthy, balanced diet. Financial support helps individuals from lower income families to supply their children with the equipment needed for a good education. This therefore allows those families to have the same opportunities as wealthier families with help from the government. However, lack of financial funding’s results in poorer families having to go without the necessary equipment. David Bull (1980) states that ‘the cost of free schooling’ this shows us that although schools claim to be free, there is however extra cost involved for various types of equipment needed for pupils education. The costs of equipment can hold a burden on lower income families, as they may not be able to financially support their children with supplying the necessary equipment for their schooling. Emily Tanner (2003) says ‘children from poor families want to fit in with others’. This suggests that without the right equipment such as ‘clothing’ individuals will find it harder to fit into a social group. To conclude, I believe that material deprivation doesn’t have a huge impact of ones educational achievements; this is because although living in a small house doesn’t provide a large amount of space for study, it doesn’t have a hindrance on the overall results. However, if the home shows signs of damp, and leads to the individuals becoming ill this does have an effect on their achievements if the pupil has to take periods of time off school, as they will be missing out on key information needed within their subjects which may have an overall effect on their grade at the end of the course.