ABSTRACT
To determine whether there was statistically significant variation in mismatch by ethnic group and sex, a test of marginal homogeneity was used. There was a statistically significant ethnic group sex interaction for middle infants and a significant ethnic group effect for top infants. However, the pattern of results for middle and top infants was similar. Results on the mismatch between teachers' expectations and children's attainments suggested that teachers had high expectations of black boys and low expectations of white girls in maths. The expectation results suggest that it is only in maths that the mismatch with test results occurs. The expectations and test results for black girls are fairly well matched, and, if it is true that in general teachers tend to underestimate girls' potential in maths, this could mean that, again, teachers are over-compensating because these girls are black.
