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Duncan's model of status attainment in the U.S. used as a point of comparison for analyzing the process of educational attainment, using several American and English data sets. The overall amount of father-to-son mobility is very similar in the two countries, and so are the relative contributions of social origin and ability to the son's attainment. Although the two educational systems differ greatly, their division of pupils into academic and non-academic segments reflects almost identically the effects of social origin and ability. These findings are interpreted in relation to Lipset's analysis of the two countries' value systems and Turner's contrast between "sponsored" and "contest" mobility patterns. To a great degree, the two countries appear to use quite different mechanisms to bring about the same outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that investigates the scientific attitudes and interests among fifth form secondary school pupils in England who had participated in the Nuffield Science Teaching Project and were taking Ordinary level examination of the General Certificate of Education. The study found many drawbacks in the project including failure of its trial materials to achieve affective objectives, tendency of participants to become hypercritical to generally accepted scientific facts, overemphasis on the use of direct experience in problem-solving, and ineffectuality in overcoming the low correlation between interest in the content of science subjects and interest in the history of science. But over-all, the project was able to improve the scientific thinking of both boys and girls.

The article examines the individual factors involved in the academic success of the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in England. According to a study, ratings of the total achievement, professional suitability, and other characteristics worthy to success in Town and Country Planning were given by year masters. On the other hand, psychometric evaluations of intellect, study habits, and twenty personality factors were also created. Results show that Good Town and Country Planning students have certain personality characteristics.