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Teacher's pets 'alive and well' in England
04 August 2009
Teachers in England are more likely to have favourite pupils than those in other countries, a new study has found.
A total of 14,400 pupils aged 14 to 15 from six different countries, including France and Japan, were surveyed by researchers from the University of Birmingham, with the results showing English pupils were the most likely to report teacher favouritism.
Stephen Gorard, Professor of Education at the University of Birmingham, said that while it was possible the pupils were displaying a 'victim complex', he believes they were 'genuinely telling it like it was'.
He added: 'Perhaps teachers in England need to face up to the way they appear to be treating pupils.'
Of the 3,000 English students surveyed, 69 per cent claimed their teachers had specific favourites, while 70 per cent said they had witnessed some pupils being punished more severely than other for similar offences.
Professor Gorard specialises in research aimed at the improvement of education in the UK and has previously conducted studies of early childhood, primary, secondary, further, higher and adult education.