The significant economic and social disparities in Île-de-France result in educational inequalities between the region’s different areas. These inequalities, which largely stem from factors outside the education system, limit headteachers’ ability to promote social diversity within their schools.
Beyond these structural constraints, the schools themselves contribute to social and educational segregation through their class-formation practices, which reinforce these disparities within the school itself. This intra-school segregation is comparable to the segregation observed between different schools within a given local authority.
Most of this internal segregation within schools is due to chance, which does not ‘naturally’ create a perfect balance between classes. An active policy by headteachers to balance classes would significantly reduce levels of segregation.
It should be noted, however, that in addition to this ‘passive’ segregation, 15 to 20 per cent of schools practise ‘active’ segregation by grouping pupils according to their subject choices. This phenomenon is observed mainly in municipalities that are wealthier than average and where state schools compete with private schools.
Does the way classes are formed undermine the social and academic mix?
This paper examines internal segregation within schools and the impact of class composition, distinguishing between ‘passive’ segregation and ‘active’ segregation by headteachers.
Reference IPP Policy Brief No. 13
Presentation
Key Results
- On average in Île-de-France, a pupil from a privileged background has 13 fellow pupils from privileged backgrounds in their class, whereas a pupil from a less privileged background has only 6.
- Within a local authority, segregation between classes within the same school accounts for one-third of the total segregation across all classes in all schools in that local authority.
- Between 70 and 85 per cent of segregation between classes can be explained simply by the random nature of class formation. The segregation that cannot be explained by chance stems largely from the grouping of pupils according to their subject choices. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in state schools most exposed to competition from the private education sector.
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