In 1945 the UK needed rapid rebuilding, both structurally and in population re-growth. After the Second World War the UK's population was virtually non-existent, with most males having died in the war, which meant that there were not enough people around to rebuild the country. This resulted in an economic boom with more jobs than people in the country at the time, and at the same time the UK was still managing her Empire in India and the Caribbean. By the 1950's there was a rapid increase in the technological industry, yet the UK was rapidly falling behind Europe...
The Swann Report concluded that racial discrimination inside and outside school, along with social deprivation, were probably the main factors. Although the Swann Report attached little importance to cultural factors, it seems possible that they play some part in explaining differences in levels of achievement between ethnic minorities, as well as between ethnic minorities and the rest of the population. Given the highly controversial nature of this issue it is not surprising that such varied explanations exist, and that a definitive answer to the question of why some ethnic minorities do poorly in education has not been reached.