The authors investigate the effect of schooling on the aspirations of young people designated as having mild learning difficulties (MLD) or emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) in the first large-scale study of its kind in England. Data were collected from parents and their 15/16 year-old children in the final year of their compulsory schooling in schools. The results indicate on average a positive effect of mainstream schooling on the aspirations of these pupils with the caveat that these benefits are more likely to accrue to pupils whose parents are in higher status occupations. In their conclusions the authors discuss the implications of these results for education policy in the context of local management of schools. (Contains 2 notes and 6 tables.)