Abstract
An important axis of inequality in Britain is the private/state school divide. The success of private schools in Britain in delivering high academic achievements and better-paid jobs has been attributed to these schools engendering high self-evaluations, greater aspirations and social networks. Using recently repaired data on secondary school type from the 1970 British Cohort Study, we find that internal locus of control, aspirations and access to networks, but not self-esteem, are raised by private schooling. Locus of control and aspirations (but not networks or self-esteem) each have modest effects on earnings at age 42. Yet only a small part of the private school earnings premium is accounted for by all these factors. Much of the premium is due, rather, to educational attainments. This evidence suggests that strategies to strengthen self-evaluations or aspirations in state schools will contribute little on their own to the objective of greater equality or social mobility.
Highlights
Often characterised as a ‘liberal market economy’, Britain has evolved pay and skills inequalities that are among the highest relative to other advanced economies (Salverda and Haas, 2014; Green et al, 2015)
It is argued that private schools foster enhanced self-valuation and aspirations that are of value in sustaining the drive for educational attainment and for subsequent success at work—in sociological terms, cultural capital (Horne et al, 2011)
We are able to control for a rich array of salient indicators of social background, and for earlier cognitive and non-cognitive skills.Third, while there is some evidence of how far locus of control, self-esteem, aspirations and networks affect labour market outcomes, we add to that evidence by examining whether these effects extend to mid-career, and whether they operate independently of formal human capital accumulation
Summary
Often characterised as a ‘liberal market economy’, Britain has evolved pay and skills inequalities that are among the highest relative to other advanced economies (Salverda and Haas, 2014; Green et al, 2015). Among the complex historical factors underpinning this high degree of inequality, one that appears prima facie relevant is the close association in Britain between social class and private school attendance (OECD, 2012) The significance of this association lies in the high quality of private schools in Britain, confirmed by a substantive body of research. We are able to control for a rich array of salient indicators of social background, and for earlier cognitive and non-cognitive skills.Third, while there is some evidence (see below) of how far locus of control, self-esteem, aspirations and networks affect labour market outcomes, we add to that evidence by examining whether these effects extend to mid-career, and whether they operate independently of formal human capital accumulation.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
