The Influence of Religion, Gender, and Social Class on Attitudes Toward School Among 11-Year-Olds in England

Abstract

In this study, the influence of religion, gender, and social class on attitudes toward school was explored by having 3,762 11-year-old pupils complete seven semantic differential scales of attitudes toward school, English lessons, math lessons, music lessons, games lessons, religious education lessons, and school assemblies. Religiosity, as indicated by self-reported frequency of church attendance and personal prayer, was found to be a significant predictor of positive attitudes toward school and toward English, music, math, religious education, and assemblies, but not games lessons. This conclusion is consistent with the findings of recent research into the positive attitudinal correlates of religiosity among adults in general and among the elderly in particular. The results also demonstrated that girls held more favorable attitudes toward school itself and toward English, music, religious education, and assemblies, whereas boys held more positive attitudes toward games lessons. No gender differences emerged in relation to math lessons. Although children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds reported more favorable attitudes toward school, they did not differ from other children in attitudes toward any of the curriculum subjects included in the survey.