Education Policy Before 1988

Question 1

What was education before compulsory?

Answer 1

Education was only available to minority provided by fee paying school for wealthy or the church/charities. Industrialisation increased need for an educated workforce. 1870 fosters education act provided free education but only compulsory 1880.
Type of education gained depended on their social class and little change to pupils ascribed status. MC followed academic curriculum, WC basic numeracy and literacy skills and values to encourage deference to authority. But WII many army recruits were illiterate soo feared that Britains industrial performance would be threatened by poorly educated workforce. So 1944 butler education system.

Question 2

What is 1944 butler education act?
Tripartite system

Answer 2

It began shaped by the idea of meritocracy (own efforts and abilities than ascribed by class background. This was based on the notion that every child should be given an equal chance to develop its talent within a free system. Children were selected and allocated to 1 of 3 diff types of secondary school. It reflects their aptitudes and abilities but provide separate but equal schooling (parity of esteem). This was identified by the 11+ exam and this national test. However later 13+ exam for pupil who have been allocated to wrong school.

Question 3

What are the 3 types of school in the tripartite system?

Answer 3

1. Grammar school: mainly MC offering academic curriculum and non manual jobs and higher education. Less than 20%
2. Modern school: non academic and practical curriculum and access to manual work mainly WC.
3. Technical school: only 5% attending so more bipartite than tri.

Question 4

Evaluate the tripartite system

Answer 4

• schools did not have parity of esteem
• TS reproduced gender inequality by requiring girls to gain higher marks in the 11+
• regional inequalities we’re disparities in the number of places available in grammar schools.
• TS legitimised inequality from ideology that ability is inborn and can be measured in a single test.
• TS was judged too socially divisive by reproduce inequality. Channeling Teri social class into two diff types of school soo an obstacle to equality of opportunity.

Question 5

What is the comprehensive system?

Answer 5

As a result of lots of criticism 1965 labour government instructed LEAs to convert to a comprehensive system. To overcome the tripartite and make education more meritocratic and egalitarian. This emphasised integration inclusion. So 11+ exam abolished all people within same attachment area same mixed ability comprehensive but LEAs were able to decide.

Question 6

Evaluate the view of the comprehensive system?

Answer 6

• functionalist believe it promotes social integration as children from diff social class and ability brought together. More meritocratic gives time to develop and show ability. Ford found little integration due to setting and streaming.
• Marxists believe they reproduce class inequality through setting and streaming. It contributes to much of meritocracy as failure is looked at the fault of individual than the system believe it’s tripartism continued under one roof but still better than TP