Students' aspirations, expectations and school achievement: What really matters?

Nabil Khattab*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

209 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Using the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE), this study examines how different combinations of aspirations, expectations and school achievement can influence students' future educational behaviour (applying to university at the age of 17-18). The study shows that students with either high aspirations or high expectations have higher school achievement than those with both low aspirations and low expectations. Furthermore, complete alignment between high aspirations, high expectations and high achievement is the most important predictor of future educational behaviour among students. However, it is also found that low expectations do not negatively impact students' future behaviour when they have high aspirations accompanied with high school achievement. Additionally, the study finds significant ethnic differences in favour of white students at GCSE level, but that these differences are reversed in relation to applying to university at the age of 17-18.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)731-748
Number of pages18
JournalBritish Educational Research Journal
Volume41
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2015

Research Groups and Themes

  • SPAIS Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship

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