This thesis consists of three separate empirical studies. Using individual-level data from administrative and survey sources, as well as adopting econometric techniques, this thesis examines the determinants of individuals’ cognitive and non-cognitive skills and beliefs about future education outcomes in England.
Chapter 2 uses data from the Millennium Cohort Study and applies an instrumental variables approach, exploiting exogenous variation in the likelihood that the mother works shift work or has uncertain working hours. This strategy estimates the impact of formal childcare hours before age 3 on non-cognitive skills between ages 3 and 14. The findings suggest that increased time in formal childcare has a positive initial effect on non-cognitive skills, with these benefits persisting over time.
Chapter 3, using administrative pupil-level data matched with longitudinal survey responses, quantifies the impact of school absences on Maths and English end-of-year exam results in a UK context. Exploiting the panel structure of the data, by using multi-dimensional fixed effect analysis, we find that absences significantly reduce academic performance.
Chapter 4 examines the impact of ethnic minority peers on white pupils’ perceived likelihood at age 14 of attending university. Matching the Millennium Cohort Study to the National Pupil Database (NPD) and creating an instrumental variable strategy based on nurse recruitment in 1949, our results indicate that increasing the proportion of ethnic minorities in the school positively and significantly impacts white pupils’ perceived likelihood at age 14 of attending university.
This thesis provides policy-relevant insights to inform effective educational strategies. The studies underscore the importance of expanding access to formal childcare, addressing school absences, and enhancing ethnic diversity within schools. The findings are relevant to other social scientists, teachers, and parents.
