Providing Support or Denying Access? The experiences of students designated as ‘ESL’ and ‘SN’ in a multi‐ethnic secondary school

In this article we draw on data collected by the Commission for Racial Equality. Based on the CRE's analysis of the school records of students at ‘Jayleigh’ Comprehensive school in 1988 we explore the experiences of black and white students designated as ESL and SN. We argue that the processes of designation and allocation of ESL students in particular, linked to the school's rigid hierarchical system of ability grouping inhibited the progress of these students and denied them equality of educational opportunity.