Trouble with the boys: equity concerns about working class boys' behaviour in secondary education

Evidence has consistently highlighted equity concerns for the educational experiences and outcomes of working-class boys in England. This paper explores one facet of this complex issue: the disparity in the behaviour and approaches to learning exhibited by working-class boys relative to their peers. A review of existing literature synthesizes scholarship from the fields of education, sociology and psychology, to critically analyse theoretical perspectives about the behaviour and approaches to learning exhibited by working-class boys during secondary education. Subsequently, an action-research project details the development and implementation of ameliorative strategies for a group of four boys at a challenging inner-city comprehensive through collaborations with research participants and professional colleagues. The research suggests the need for practitioners to utilise more personalized approaches of behaviour management, grounded in understandings about individual students, empowering students to exercise agency and improve in-school behaviour. Furthermore, the findings highlight potential areas for future scholarship centred on integrating existing literature with sociological action-theories.