ABSTRACT
This chapter presents quantitative evidence on patterns of inequality in educational opportunity, drawing particularly on evidence from the United Kingdom but also on international comparative studies. The chapter begins with a discussion of how educational inequality is to be conceived and measured, followed by an overview of research findings based on this conceptual framework and relating particularly to the transitions between lower secondary, upper secondary and higher education. Although it is mainly concerned with class-based inequality, the chapter discusses the use of eligibility for free school meals as a social background variable. Debates on the relationship between cognitive ability, educational attainment and social background are also briefly outlined. The chapter concludes with a discussion of educational inequalities related to gender and ethnicity.
