Social Mobility
Social mobility and the importance of education
Social mobility can be vertical, horizontal, upwards or downwards. Education provides an opportunity to achieve upward social mobility, which may lead to higher social status, increased employment opportunities and improved economic benefits.
The JCRT social mobility report is an assessment of opportunities, funding and innovative ways to realise the full potential for all children and young people in Jersey.
“By age five, there are significant developmental differences between low, middle, and upper class children’s cognitive and noncognitive skills.”
Greenstone M, Looney A, Patashnik J, Yu M (18 November 2016). “Thirteen Economic Facts about Social Mobility and the Role of Education”
“Social mobility creates a fairer and more equitable society”
A child’s inherited social and socio-economic status can affect a child’s ability to access an education which will assist them in succeeding in life. In Jersey we have an opportunity to address this imbalance.
A progressive education system will identify development differences and deliver pre-school and primary education providers with sufficient resources to identify and address needs. Jersey can seek to be progressive in managing this issue – setting an objective that all children entering secondary education have the necessary skills to be successful in achieving their full potential.
Social mobility creates a fairer and more equitable society. It leads to economic growth and better outcomes for all. It does not mean that the wealthy lose their wealth – more that the gap between those with most and those with least becomes smaller and that the wealthiest actively support this.
“The JCRT strongly recommends Government action to create a data-driven, well-resourced and joined-up education strategy to support social mobility across all communities in Jersey.”
Our research suggests that this will require:
Clear leadership
Clear leadership and the optimum use of resources dedicated to education and the best possible prioritisation of those resources;
Equality of opportunity
GoJ working much more closely with the community and employers to ensure greater equality of opportunity for all of the Island’s young people and providing education which is fit for purpose in the fast changing and future world of work
Embracing diversity
The embracing of diversity and ensuring inclusion is at the heart of education strategy and policies so that the potential of every child is recognised and nurtured from an early age and through-out their education.
Social Mobility Report Recommendations
01
Clear leadership and optimum use of resources dedicated to education
02
Optimum funding in Education
03
Government, the Community and the Future World of Work
04
Supporting diversity, inclusion and equality across all schools
Celebrating Success
These case studies are included to provide “real world” examples of how some individuals in our society have achieved successful outcomes and, in some cases, perhaps against the odds. We should gain insight and learn from their own personal journey.
Tom Martin-Hughes
Joanne Terry-Marchant
Sophia Campbell
