ABSTRACT
This chapter problematises social class in the UK and its relationship with the state education system, giving an account of both a historical and current context. The aim of this chapter is to argue that conditions for the inequality of outcome for working class poor and disadvantaged groups are reproduced within state schooling and education. It is further highlighted how the effects of this reduce the chances of engagement with further and higher education and also how certain job opportunities will be inaccessible to those who are marginalised. Moreover, some working class groups coming from low-income backgrounds will go on to suffer a form of social exclusion – they will be excluded from the education system and subsequently may end up known to the criminal justice system or worse still, in prison. Whilst this chapter draws comparisons between the rich and the poor, the overall focus is on the working class poor.
