educational policies- marketision and privatisation Flashcards

1
Q

what is meant by the term parentocracy?

A
  • refers to the idea that the parents are in charge of the education system
  • refers to the marketisation policies of 1988 and the idea that these policies aimed to give parents more choice over their children’s education
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what do ‘policies’ refer to in education?

A

policies refer to laws and registrations that are introduced by different governments in order to try to improve and raise the standard of education

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is marketisation?

A
  • Application of market principles to the education system
  • the concept of running schools as businesses
  • incentive to achieve the best results for schools and compete against each other
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what are the three main features of marketisation?
explain and give examples 

A

1) independence- allowing schools to run themselves how they see fit eg. uniform, staff policy, headteachers
2) choice- given customers (parents and students) more providers which students can attend eg. league tables
3)competition- schools, compete with one another to be the best choice for students eg. subject specifics, 11+

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

how has marketisation been achieved through policies by the Conservative government 1979-97?

A
  • education reform act 1988:
    IE: open enrollment, national curric., standardised testing
  • formula funding
  • League tables/OFSTED
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Who brought in the ERA 1988? What did it consist of?

A

-conservative gov – Margaret Thatcher (strongly influenced by NR)
ideas =
funding per pupil
gCSEs
League table
Parentocracy
budgeting powers for headteachers
Introduction of national curriculum
Local management
Formula funding

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

pros of the 1988 education reform act

A

-meritocratic
-Social mobility is promoted
-equality
-Increase in standards
-Remains in place today, therefore must have some success

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

cons of the 1988, education reform act

A
  • Negative cycle of decline for schools with bad results in the league tables
  • disadvantaged schools mean less pupils, less attraction, less funds
  • MC parents, who played the system to benefit themselves
    -Favours academic students
  • Quite prescriptive (lacks individuality)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Explain how the national curriculum within the education reform act is an aspect of marketisation

A

pupils in all state schools are taught the same topics and subjects
-pros
• standardisation
• equality of access an opportunity
• meritocracy
• Successive gov have stuck with it

cons
• restrictive
• not suitable for all (just academic)
• not teaching life skills

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are SATs within the 1988 education reform act as an aspect of marketisation?

A

-Standard attainment tests
- All students learn, same call content, and now they can be tested at the same time
-National test and fair comparisons can be made between schools who sat them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

pros and cons of SATs as an aspect of marketisation

A

pros
• equality of opportunity
• Promotes Parentocracy
cons
• too early of an age to be tested
• too much stress for teachers and students
• teaching to the test (caring, primarily about grades)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What/how are league tables within the 1988 education reform act an aspect of marketisation?

A
  • A publication of comparable data based on a schools performance, so that parents can make an informed choice about where they want their child to go
    -Prior to 1988 ERA, school placement was based entirely on catchment area
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Pros and cons of league tables as an aspect of marketisation

A

pros
• standardisation
• promoting Parentocracy
• still in place since 1988
• Encourage schools to develop and improve
cons
• encourages teaching to the test
•Too much stress for teachers
•Negative cycle of decline for disadvantaged schools
• illusion of choice
•Myth of meritocracy 

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what is the funding formula policy within the 1988 education reform act? How is it in aspects of marketisation?

A
  • to complete the market process, the schools were given funding on the basis of how many pupils attended
  • This gave the school huge incentive to perform well and to be placed hi, I’m league tables in order to attract parents
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How is local management of schools and aspects of marketisation?

A

more power is given to headteachers/governors to look after school budget, rather than the responsibility being of local authority
pros
•encourages independence and accountability
•Create cost saving efficiencies
cons
•inequalities of provision
•May lack standardisation 

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what are the three areas/methods of quality control? What are they used for?

A

1) OFSTED inspection
2) national curriculum
3) league tables
- measures which can be used to hold schools accountable to promote improvements in the school

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

how is OFSTED a form of marketisation?

A

-give more information to parents to help make choices in the parentocracy of an increasingly marketised education system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what policies promoting marketisation were brought out by the new Labour party 1997–2010 ?

A

1)intro of city academies(2000)
taking failing schools from inner-city areas and combining them into city center academics
2)growth of specialist schools- specialised areas of the curriculum
3)faith schools- cater the needs of a more culturally diverse UK
4)intro of tuition fees- enable growing educational market in higher education

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what policies brought out by the coalition government 2010-15 promoted marketisation?

A

-expansion on academies-Academisation of secondary schools and forced Acadamisation for failing schools and chance for high performing to attract investment through this
-pupil premium
-reforms to curriculum- more challenging targets for schools, an introduction of progress eight
-free schools- parent/provision set up education in areas of need/not national curriculum
-increase tuition fees

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

explain pupil premium brought in by the coalition government 2010-15

A

Additional funding to School’s for students of low income families further expanded competition between schools for funding

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the impacts of marketisation?

A

-increased choice of schools
- more private investment in education
-Uni attendance increased
-Improves GCSE and A-level pass rates

22
Q

how does Ball criticised the marketisation of education?

A

-Ball argues Parentocracy is a myth
•It’s made to seem as if all parents have the same choice and freedom to choose which school to send their children to
-Myth of meritocracy
• parents don’t have equal freedoms to choose due to covert selection processes, postcode lottery is in catchment areas, M/C parents more able (cultural capital)

23
Q

explain how marketisation of education can be criticised with the point of ‘educational triage’

A

-Teachers tend to allocate more resources to the students who are on the C/D borderline in order to achieve the five A*-C needed for the league tables, fuss, ignoring those who are unlikely to achieve this

24
Q

how can marketisation of education be criticised in regards to the ‘dumbing down of standards’?

A

-due to funding formula schools need to retain and attract students in order to receive funds
-Schools will dumb down standards and teaching in order to keep students who might leave if they are worked too hard/courses are too difficult

25
Q

how does Ball and Whitty criticise marketisation of education

A

-Marketisation, reproduces inequality
-** exam/league tables**
• parents are attracted to those schools with good league tables, which allows schools to be selective when recruiting pupils
-** formula funding**
• popular schools get more funds and therefore can afford better quality teaching in facilities. Popularity makes them more selective/prestigious.

26
Q

What is the 1944 education act, and who brought it in?

A

-conservative government
-Compulsory, 11+
-Intro of tripartite system
• grammar(different curriculum)
• secondary modern(basic curriculum)
• technical(skills/practical)

27
Q

pros and cons of the 1944, education act

A

pros
-Promote social mobility
-meritocracy
-Office, suitable education ‘for everyone’
-Post war welfare state
cons
-favours M/C and white
-

28
Q

Explain the policy 1988, introduction of court coursework

A

-formal piece of exam and work, focusing on the students, practical steady effort, counting towards your final grade
- Designed to support those who don’t do as well and exams

29
Q

pros of the 1988 introduction of coursework

A

-Allow students to be assessed in a variety of ways
-Removal of stress
-Helps those who don’t do as well in exams

30
Q

cons of the introduction of coursework

A

Mitsos and Browne found that coursework disproportionately benefits girls
-Too much teacher intervention

31
Q

Who removed coursework? Explanation of the policy

A

-removal of coursework 2013 under Conservative gov
-More emphasis on linear exams

32
Q

Pros and cons of the removal of coursework

A

pros
-more meritocratic
-Removal of gender benefits for girls
-No teacher intervention
cons
-Too much pressure on students
-widens achievement gap

33
Q

Pros and cons of the selection by ability policy (AKA, 11+)

A

pros
-highflyers benefits
-Specialise in focused teaching can take place
-Fast paced learning
cons
-Late developers don’t benefit
-Mixed ability Foster’s social cohesion
- Reduced risk of labelling and SFP

34
Q

define privatisation

A

-Privatisation refers to the transfer of government assets or responsibilities (e.g. schools) to private companies.
-Less state intervention

35
Q

what did Ball and Youdell(2007) identify?
Define endogenous, privatisation and its impact of marketisation

A
  • Ball and Youdell identified, endogenous and exogenous privatisation in the UK education system
    -endogenous privatisation = schools are privatised from within
36
Q

what is exogenous privatisation?
Who supports it and why?

A

-Direct and actual privatisation with academies and free schools run by private cooperations, rather than by the government
- Increase in exogenous under coalition and Conservative (2010…)
-Supported by the new right, seeing it is more efficient and innovative, unlikely to drive up standards

37
Q

Examples of privatisation of education

A

-School services
-School inspections
-Branding of schools
-Running the exam systems
-Building schools

38
Q

explain School services and School inspections as examples of privatisation of education

A

-School services = outstanding services, such as building, maintenance, provision, and management of ICT, catering etc
-School inspections = private companies, such as tribal inspections, run, school inspections, on behalf of OFSTED, others, offers services such as mockstead

39
Q

Explain ‘branding of schools’ and ‘building of schools’ as an example of privatisation of education

A

-Branding of schools = private companies, selling school website services. Logo development, rebranding, design, etc.
-Building schools = the local council gives out contracts to private companies which can last for 25 to 30 years to design build and maintain school services

40
Q

explain ‘ running the exam systems’ as an example of privatisation of education

A

The U.K.’s largest exam boards Eddic cell is run by the multinational, private company pearson PLC
-It is one of the worlds, largest educational and book publishing companies

41
Q

aims of privatisation of education

A

-Most efficient school
-Most profitable

42
Q

What is the positive evaluation of privatisation?

A

-** raising educational standards**
-Competitive educational marketplace, local education, authorities and schools can compare services offered by private education companies
-Increases and promotes parentocracy
-Profit making might induce companies to support failing schools
-Efficiency

43
Q

evaluate privatisation of education on the basis that ‘ private companies are primarily profit driven’

A

-it is a priority to advertise the school
-Not with the students best interests at heart
-E.g. letting six formers in he didn’t actually meet required grades=$$
-Results will decline, OFSTED declines, less student attraction

44
Q

evaluate privatisation of education in regards to it ‘ doesn’t promote equality’

A

-Private companies are interested in profit, ignoring challenging schools to investing, privatisation of education, male of certain companies to put profit over the needs of children, reducing the educational opportunities of those who need it most

45
Q

what is the Labour Party interested in?

A

-equality and fairness, egalitarianism (equality)
-Concerned with those most disadvantaged, and seek to make society a fairer a place

46
Q

A summary of labour party policies

A

-academies
- sure start= early years, provision and parent advice
-EAZ
-EMA
-Compensatory, educational schemes
-Specially schools
-Max class sizes
-1965. Comprehensivisation act.

47
Q

what is the Conservative party interested in? Their focuses and aims? Give examples.

A

-social stratification
-Believe that certain social orders and hierarchies are inevitable and beneficial for society
-Promotion of meritocracy
-Social inequalities are natural consequences of social/natural competition
-E.g. OFSTED, compulsory, 11+

48
Q

What significant change did the new Labour party? Bring about? Explain this new policy.

A

new labour 1997:
much of the education agenda could be seen as a continuation of the marketisation agenda.
Though they did introduce academies .
Academies are state, funded schools that are funded directly by the government, rather than local education authority

49
Q

what government introduced academies? who? What did this mean for schools?

A

-originally introduced under Tony Blair’s labour gov (although similar to grant maintain schools, introduced by Margaret Thatcher), but were expanded by the Conservative Michael Grove when he was education secretary
-Schools, set own admission policies and don’t follow national curriculum

50
Q

What schools are academies? Who runs them?

A

-most English, secondary schools and academies and significant number of primary Academy is two
-Run by Academy, trust and some parts of large chains
-originally introduced under Blair, usually a status imposed on failing schools to enable them to improve
-Today, the government tries to make all schools academies

51
Q

explain the educational maintenance allowance policy (EMA) brought in under the new Labour gov
Explain EAZ

A

EMA = school and college students 16–19, paid up to £30 a week for attending, the policy, having aims of compensating for material deprivation, allowing students to pay for books and travel
-Have equal access to further education
EAZ= educational action zones -Education priority areas brought together groups of students/schools with parents, community, groups and businesses to aim to attract sponsorships.
-Deprived areas, private investment and funds

52
Q

explain the Shore start program (brought in under the labour gov)

A

-compensatory education
-Recognising the achievement, gap, particularly by social class, even in early years education, led to the establishment of centres, providing parenting and health advice