‘Notorious Schools’ in ‘Notorious Places’? Exploring the Connectedness of Urban and Educational Segregation

Abstract

While the statistical link between residential and school segregation is well-demonstrated, in-depth knowledge of the processes or mediating mechanisms which affect the interconnectedness of the two phenomena is still limited. By focusing on well-functioning schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, our article seeks to scrutinise whether reputation can be one of the key mediators of the connection between residential and school segregation. Our study combines qualitative ethnographic interviews from four (pre-)primary schools with quantitative segregation measures in four urban neighbourhoods in the Finnish capital city of Helsinki to understand the connections between lived experiences and socio-spatial segregation. The results show that there appears to be a clear link between neighbourhood and school reputation, as schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods are strongly viewed through the perceptions attached to the place. Despite the case schools’ excellent institutional quality and high overall performance in educational outcomes, there is a consistent pattern of the schools struggling with negative views about the neighbourhoods, which seep into the schools’ reputation. Since school reputation is one of the central drivers of school choices and is also linked to residential choices, the close connection between neighbourhood and school reputation may feed into vicious circles of segregation operating through schools. The results highlight the need for integrated urban policies that are sensitive to issues concerning school reputation and support the confidence and identity of pupils, reaching beyond simply ensuring the institutional quality of schools.

Investigating understandings of critical literacies among Finnish and Canadian teachers

“…One could argue that this viewpoint reflects and addresses the topic of (ethnic) residential segregation and the social and spatial disadvantage that relates to further "educational disadvantage and lack of equal opportunities" (Bernelius, personal communication June 1, 2021). Taking into consideration the concept of a "geography of education" (Butler & Hamnett, 2007) in the Finnish context, Bernelius et al (2021) present results on the interconnectedness of urban and educational segregation, coming to the conclusion that in order to address the problem, policies should "support the confidence and identity of p upils" (p. 154), connecting the provision of access to educational settings to students' selfexpression, as teachers did as well.…”

Mothering, Habitus and Habitat: The Role of Mothering as Moral Geography for the Inequality Impasse in Urban Education

“…That women understood mothering as a moral geography in which they localized and positioned themselves showed their comparisons to other neighbourhoods. They expressed 'fortune' of not having to deal with 'difficult' pupils, resonating Bernelius et al (2021)'s finding that difficult behaviour was located in 'notorious' neighbourhoods. They ascribed to their area a common sense of 'seriousness' about child raising.…”

“…Bernelius et al . (2021, p. 162) show that parents in Helsinki draw on narratives of neighbourhood hierarchies to form views on school reputations. Neighbourhoods, however, are predominantly discussed as spatial imaginaries in this work, and less strongly developed as relational settings (Blokland 2017).…”

What is the association between the ethnic composition of neighbourhoods, workplaces and schools and the formation of mixed‐ethnic unions?

“…However, a further study of selection mechanisms is needed because it may be the case that different natives settle into immigrant‐dense neighbourhoods and workplaces over time. For example, higher income households with school‐age children are more prone to leave and avoid immigrant‐dense neighbourhoods in Finland (Bernelius et al, 2021; Bernelius & Vilkama, 2019).…”

“…Sorting into schools usually depends on two factors: distance from home to school and the academic quality of the school (Altenhofen et al, 2016; Bernelius et al, 2021; Hastings et al, 2005; Nieuwenhuis & Xu, 2021). Studies of ethnic residential segregation and ethnic school segregation reveal that segregation levels tend to be higher in schools (Andersson, Bråmå, & Holmqvist, 2010; Boterman, 2019).…”