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An individual's social background is a key determinant in the level and quality of education they are likely to receive. This generally means that children from low-income families are less likely to have access to the best schools and quality of education, and are more likely to leave the education system with fewer qualifications than than their wealthier counterparts. Yet, despite the disparity between the educational achievements of affluent and poor children, education is still regarded by most of society as the best way of escaping poverty. This is particularly true of developing societies where absolute poverty is rife and education offers such an escape. However, it seems that there is growing scepticism in some Western nations where despite a free education system for all, the gap between rich and poor is actually increasing rather than shrinking.

In the United Kingdom, for instance, in some communities there is an entrenched hostility towards schooling. This tends to be the case in economically deprived areas where adults are often unemployed or are in low-paid, unskilled jobs, having left the education system with few qualifications and skills. It can be difficult for parents from this background to instill the benefits of attending school in their children when they have often had a negative experience of school, themselves. Even though they may acknowledge that obtaining an education would help their children succeed in life, if they live in a community which has an ingrained culture of distrust, it can be difficult to be open to the opportunities offered by the education system. Plus, they are often less able to manipulate the system and to make demands on behalf of their children than their middle-class counterparts.

Middle-class parents are often the ones most able to get their children into the best schools, as they can afford to live in catchment areas with the most successful schools and to kick up a fuss if they do not get their first choice of school for their child. This means that children with parents who are uneducated or who have to work long hours, and do not have the time or inclination to get involved directly with the education process, generally end up attending poorly rated schools. They therefore may have to contend with the fact that not only are they are economically and culturally deprived at home, there is nothing to counter this deprivation when they attend struggling schools dominated by children from backgrounds similar

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