educational policies

Question 1

education policy in britain before 1988

Answer 1

there were no state schools, before 1833, the state spent no public money on education

the state made schooling compulsory from ages 5-18 in 1880

Question 2

The tripartite system

Answer 2

the 1944 education act bought in the tripartite system

Grammar schools:pupils with academic ability who passed the 11+- mainly middle class

Secondary modern school: non academic practical curriculum and access to manual work for pupils who failed the 11+- mainly working class

Question 3

comprehensive school system

Answer 3

introduced in areas from 1965 onwards

aimed to overcome class divide of tripartite system and make education more meritocratic

11+, grammar and secondary schools were abolished

Question 4

marketisation

Answer 4

introducing market forces of consumer choice and competition between suppliers into areas run by the state, such as education

Question 5

who favours marketisation and why?

Answer 5

Neoliberals and new right

They argue schools have to attract customers (parents)by competing with each other in the market. schools will provide customers with what they want- such as success in exams-will thrive and those that don’t will go out of business

Question 6

parentocracy: policies to promote marketisation

Answer 6

• puplication of league tables and ofsted reports
• business sponsorship of schools
• open enrollment
• specialist schools
• formula funding
• introduction of tuition fees for higher education

Question 7

The reproduction of inequality

Answer 7

stephan Ball and Geof Witty note how marketisation polices such as exam league tables and the funding formula reproduce class inequalities by creating inequalities between schools

Question 8

Cream-skimming

Answer 8

‘good’ schools can be more selective, choose their own customers and recruit high achieving, mainly middle class students- these pupils gain an advantage

Question 9

silt-shifting

Answer 9

‘good’ schools can avoid taking less able pupils who are likely to get poor results and damage the schools league table position

Question 10

the funding formula for popular schools

Answer 10

schools are allocated funds by a formula based on how many pupils they attract
this means popular schools get more funds so can afford better qualified teachers and better facilities

Question 11

the funding formula for unpopular schools

Answer 11

unpopular schools lose income and find it difficult to match teacher skills and facilities of their most successful rivals

Question 12

Gerwitz: parental choice

Answer 12

parents economic and cultural capital lead to class differences

Question 13

privileged skilled-choosers

Answer 13

mainly professional middle class parents 
being prosperous, well educated and confident makes them able to take full advantage of choices open to them

Question 14

semi-skilled choosers

Answer 14

working class parents who were ambitious for their children- lacked cultural capital so relied on other peoples opinions

Question 15

New labour government on inequality

Answer 15

• designating some deprived areas as education action zones, providing them with additional resources
• the aim higher programme to raise aspirations of groups who are under-represented
• education maintenance allowances EMAs, payments to students from low income backgrounds to encourage them to stay on after 16.

Question 16

Privatisation of education

Answer 16

involves the transfer of public assets such as schools to private companies
education becomes a source of of profit for capitalists in what Balls calls the education services industry ESI