Black pupils 'failing under pressure from peers'

Black youngsters often fail at school because of a culture among their peers in which it is "uncool" to work hard, one of the country's best-known black academics will say today.

Tony Sewell of the University of Leeds' School of Education will tell a conference on the under-performance of black pupils that the majority believes "peer-group pressure" is the biggest barrier to learning.

A lack of black role models has often been cited as a reason for poor performance by black pupils in the UK.

In a paper to the conference in London, organised by the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers, Dr Sewell says British African children – particularly boys – are "failing" through poor exam results and high exclusion rates. Boys of African Caribbean origin are three times more likely to be excluded than others.

Dr Sewell says he is convinced African Caribbean children have needs "that go beyond simple notions of teacher racism and the need for black role models". A survey of 150 black 15-year-olds in five secondary schools conducted by Dr Sewell revealed 80 per cent cited "peer-group pressure" as the biggest threat to their learning. Even those who cited teacher racism also acknowledged the danger of pressure from peers.

One boy told researchers: "I sometimes don't tell my mates that I've done well in maths and English in case they dis me and call me a boffin." A girl said: "I don't blame the teachers. Everyone knows it ain't just the teachers. It's mainly black kids with some whites all wanting to act as if they're the rudest."

However, a learning mentor at one of the schools said another reason for poor performance was that many black youngsters had to act as "parents" at home. "Many of the parents are probably working two or three jobs and have four or five children – where the oldest becomes the parent when mum is out working," he said. "The child becomes the parent of the house doing all the routine housework and caring for younger siblings.

"Too many of our kids in this school do not get enough sleep at night and do not have enough time or the right environment to do homework. I know a lot of children are falling asleep in the classroom because they are really full-time parents when they get home.

"This has a direct impact on their achievement and behaviour in school." He added, though, that many of the school's African Caribbean pupils "want to do more living than studying. The other thing about peer pressure for these boys is that they all want to be a 'big man' – show the others how many girls they can have and how they can take on the most disciplinarian teacher. They want to show to their friends that nothing can frighten them."

Dr Sewell will tell delegates of plans to launch a "barriers to learning project" in schools with a high intake of black pupils. Under the scheme, 15 children are given 10-week intensive courses in personal and social education – teaching them how to resolve conflicts, resist peer-group pressure and develop their own social skills.

Trials of the project have shown a marked improvement in pupil behaviour – with many on the brink of exclusion staying out of trouble during the trial period. "Many of the children commented that this was the first time they were allowed to express their opinions in school and it was also a first when it came to anyone listening," Dr Sewell says.