Condron, D. J. (2011). Egalitarianism and educational excellence: Compatible goals for affluent societies? Educational Researcher, 40(2), 47–55.

This very interesting article argues that where there is greater income inequality in society there is greater inequality in educational attainment. As such it looks beyond educational institutions to explain educational achievement.

Parsons, C. (2016). Ethnicity, gender, deprivation and low educational attainment in England: Political arithmetic, ideological stances and the deficient society. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, 11(2), 160–183.

This article examines low attainment in England’s schools and its relationship to ethnicity, gender and poverty. It argues that resulting inequalities are rooted in social and economic factors outside the school due to wider social policy, rather than in-school factors.