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Can factors inside school affect achievement?
Yes No, only home background matters
Education is a core part of GCSE Sociology. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Key concepts Socialisation Learning the norms and values of society.
Hidden curriculum Unwritten lessons in punctuality, obedience, hierarchy.
Social solidarity A shared sense of belonging to society.
Role allocation Sorting people into jobs that fit their ability.
Meritocracy System where success is based on effort and talent.
Formal curriculum Subjects officially taught, like maths or English.
Correspondence principle Bowles & Gintis: school mirrors workplace hierarchy.
Cultural capital Bourdieu: middle-class knowledge that helps in school.
Material deprivation Lacking money for books, tuition or quiet study space.
Labelling Teachers giving pupils a fixed identity, e.g. 'bright'.
Self-fulfilling prophecy Pupils live up — or down — to their label.
Marketisation Treating schools like a market with parental choice.
Meritocracy myth Marxist critique: school is rigged, not fair.
Gendered subjects Boys and girls choosing different GCSE options.
Show all 14 key concepts What your exam board covers Where Education sits in each exam board's specification. Tap a board to see what it lists.
Cambridge IGCSE Education Spec 0495 Part of: Topics
Source: Cambridge IGCSE Sociology (0495) syllabus , accessed 23 June 2026.
L Learn Education step by step
Free interactive mini-lessons: short screens, worked examples and quick checks. Pick your exam board:
Common mistakes to avoid Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:
Can factors inside school affect achievement? ✗ No, only home background matters. ✓ Yes — labelling, setting and teacher expectations can affect results.
Does school success depend only on natural intelligence? ✗ Yes, achievement is purely about ability. ✓ No — class, gender, ethnicity and school factors all shape achievement.
Practise Education — free games
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