Beyond Material Disadvantage: Living Conditions, Immigrant Optimism, Aspirations and Attainment Among Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Pupils in Scotland

This article examines the living experiences, aspirations and attainment of immigrant and non-immigrant pupils in Scotland. Drawing on immigrant optimism theory, the study uses the Scottish subset of PISA 2022, which includes measures of young people’s aspirations and attainment, to explore the relative roles of family socio-economic background, housing circumstances, educational and cultural resources, family and school support, and student dispositions in shaping aspirations and attainment, with particular attention to first- and second-generation immigrant pupils. Based on random-effects regression modelling, the findings suggest that, despite less favourable material and housing circumstances, immigrant pupils in Scotland, especially first-generation pupils, have stronger educational and occupational aspirations than non-immigrant pupils, as well as mathematics performance that matches or surpasses that of non-immigrant pupils with comparable family characteristics. Family educational and cultural resources, student dispositions and particular forms of school support were associated with aspirations and/or attainment. First-generation pupils’ mathematics advantage is linked to dispositions such as perseverance and growth mindset, as well as to the higher occupational aspirations of this group. However, immigrant pupils’ higher educational and occupational aspirations cannot be explained by family, individual or school characteristics: the regression results show that their aspirations remain higher than those of non-immigrant pupils even after these differences are taken into account. The article therefore contributes to debates on immigrant optimism and segmented assimilation by showing that material disadvantage does not necessarily translate into lower aspirations or attainment. While socio-economic deprivation and constrained living conditions matter for immigrant children’s educational outcomes, these effects may be mediated and, in part, offset by educational and cultural resources, family engagement and school support, and learner dispositions. The study therefore highlights the importance of looking beyond material disadvantage alone in order to understand immigrant pupils’ aspirations and educational attainment.