Supporting academic engagement among white working-class boys: Field experiments to investigate the impact of role model interventions

White boys from low-income backgrounds are among the worst performing pupils in English schools. Existing research describes how white “working-class” boys perceive academic education as incompatible with notions of working-class identity but offers few practical solutions. Role model interventions have been shown to influence pupil aspirations and behaviour; however, the efficacy of this approach appears to depend on perceived similarity, thus calling into question the widespread practice of using current students in university outreach. Existing literature suggests that white working-class boys characterise university progression as inherently middle-class so it is unclear that students can act as effective role models for this group. By contrast, apprentices may be seen to embody a vocational destination which is more compatible with these pupils’ values and existing goals. In this thesis I examine the effect of “academic role models” (university students) and “vocational role models” (apprentices) on attitudes to education for white working-class boys. By adopting a parallel mixed methods approach, comprising qualitative interviews and two randomised controlled trials, I test the impact of exposing pupils to role models via light-touch video interventions. My results suggest a positive effect of exposure to academic role models but no effect of exposure to vocational role models. Qualitative evidence provides insights into why my findings appear to contradict the existing literature. This thesis is a novel example of how mixed methods research can be used to test theory. It contributes to a growing evidence base on role models in education by taking a highly targeted approach to working with one of the worst performing groups in English schools. Moreover, it advances the literature by using rigorous experimental techniques to investigate how role models who embody different postschool destinations impact on pupils’ attitudes to education and aspirations