Educational Policies Flashcards
(13 cards)
How did the government try to reduce youth unemployment?
By introducing vocational education
What policies influenced gender differences in educational achievement?
- 1944 Education Act: Tripartite system with the 11+ tests for grammar school enrolment (made the pass mark higher for girls, meaning they favoured boys and less girls were in grammar schools)
- Introduction of the national curriculum in Education Reform Act of 1988
What policies influenced class differences in educational achievement?
- The tripartite system (Butler Act 1944) with the 11+ test for enrolment to grammar schools : MC are more likely to pass and therefore receive higher quality grammar education.
- Marketisation policy (meant to increase parentocracy and choice in schools) ; WC lack the cultural capital to choose the better schools (in the league tables)
- MC have economic capital to pay for private schools
-MC have the cultural and economic capital to access league tables and use it to move to better schools
What policies may have influenced ethnicity differences in educational achievement?
- Promotion of diversity and inclusion within schools
- Addressing institutional racism within educational systems (by enforcing anti-discrimination policies)
- Providing support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds
Ways in which government policies may have reduced social inequalities in educational achievement
- Abolition of the tripartite system : meant that all pupils would go to the same type of secondary school regardless of class, gender and ethnicity (more social integration)
- Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) : provided financial aid so that the poorer students can continue with their education post-16
- Pupil premium : Schools get extra money to help the students who may need more support ( e.g extra learning)
Criticisms of tripartite system?
- Technical schools were underfunded
- Class inequalities: Grammar schools were mainly comprised of MC students (20% of all students who actually had opportunities to progress into university and get well-paying jobs); WC were labelled as ‘failures’ and had no motivation to succeed and instead be low MRP (skilled)
- Gender inequalities : Pass mark for the 11+ test for girls was set higher than for boys
(even though girls generally achieved higher marks than boys, they were denied places in grammar schools irrespective of their ability)
2 changes the New Labour government brought to vocational education
- They expanded the number of vocational courses available to students
- They introduced the idea of modern apprenticeships that provide practical training and work experience (alongside classroom learning)
These 2 changes enhance the quality and status of vocational education in the UK.
1 way in which the coalition policies promoted equality and 1 way they undermined it
+They provided free school meals to those who were materially deprived
-They scrapped EMAs (Educational maintenance allowances) in order to reduce and cut government spendings / expenditures
Criticisms of marketisation policy
- May have exacerbated social inequalities, as MC have both cultural and economic capital to access league tables and use it to move to better schools (unlike WC who lack both types of capital to do so)
- They may have undervalued the holistic development of the students and instead have focused too much on exam results & profits
Ways in which globalisation had an influence on educational policies in the UK
-Through testing programmes such as PISA tests taking place in the UK, it has enabled international comparisons
-STEM subjects have been prioritised in the UK curriculum so that pupils are equipped with the necessary skills required for the global skills-based economy
How does the marketisation policy fit neoliberal/new right thinking?
The marketisation policy enables market forces to occur in the education system:
Schools act like businesses selling their education as a service to parents/students who are seen as consumers
With “parentocracy” meaning parents have more choice in selection of schools through league tables, this brings more competition between schools so that they can attract more consumers
-Neoliberals prefer this over the monopolist state school structure, as there’s the incentive to provide better quality education, thus serving the interest of students & parents
How does the national curriculum and standardised tests fit into New right/neoliberal thinking?
Because schools share the same curriculum and standardised tests, neoliberals believe schools can be compared through league tables, therefore holding schools accountable for their academic performances
This supports the idea of ‘parentocracy’ and therefore enhances competition between schools
How does the privatisation of education fit into New Right/neoliberal thinking?
Neoliberals argued that the transfer of public assets to private companies would increase efficiency and innovation, therefore improving the quality of education provided
Therefore getting rid of the monopolist state school structure that was inefficient
