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Sociology Paper 1 > Educational policy and inequality > Flashcards

Educational policy and inequality Flashcards

1
Q

What is the tripartite system (Butler Act)?

A
  • where children in their final year of primary school had to take the 11+ exams, an intelligence test based on which they were selected and allocated to three different types of secondary school, supposedly according to their abilities
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2
Q

What are the features of grammar schools?

A
  • offered an academic curriculum and access to non manual jobs and higher education
  • they were for pupils with academic ability who passed the 11+, usually MC
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3
Q

What are the features of secondary modern schools?

A
  • offered a non academic, ‘practical’ curriculum and access to manual work for pupils who failed the 11*, mainly WC
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4
Q

What are the features technical schools (polytechnic)?

A
  • existed only in a few areas, so in practise it was more a bipartite than a tripartite system
  • intended to focus on technical work
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5
Q

Was the tripartite system argued to be fair or unfair?

A
  • was argued to be fair and meritocratic because it tested pupils based on ability rather than making judgements based on backgrounds or social class
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6
Q

What did critics say about the tripartite system? [2]

A
  • they say it is u fair because girls had to get a higher score than boys in order to attend a grammar school
  • others have highlighted multiple problems with schools selecting pupils based on ability
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7
Q

What is wrong with schools selecting pupils by ability at age 11 due to some children being late bloomers?

A
  • some children may only start to show signs of progression after the age of 11, therefore it is too early to decide their future career path
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8
Q

What is wrong with schools selecting pupils by ability at age 11 due to testing may benefit MC children?

A
  • MC pupils have the right speech code, they have cultural capital and can afford resources to better prepare themselves for the 11+ exams
  • exams are just a snapshot of ability not day to day ability
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9
Q

What is wrong with schools selecting pupils by ability at age 11 due to those who fail being labelled?

A
  • if a pupil fails the 11+ and goes to a secondary modern, they may see themselves as failures and lack self esteem = lack motivation to learn
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10
Q

What is the comprehensive school system in response to the tripartite system?

A
  • introduced by the labour government to overcome the class divide of the tripartite system and make education more meritocratic
  • 11+ exams were to be abolished
  • grammar and secondary modern schools were replaced by comprehensive schools that would be attended by all schools in the area with the same experiences regardless of social class or background
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11
Q

How would functionalists view the comprehensive school system?

A
  • in favour of comprehensive schools as it brings pupils together from different social classes = social solidarity
  • meritocratic: all pupils are taught equally based on level and difficulty
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12
Q

How would marxists view the comprehensive school system?

A
  • believe education is based on class division and capitalist exploitation so reject these schools for creating a myth or meritocracy
  • comprehensive schooling cannot stop labelling or introducing streaminf
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13
Q

What is a limitation of the comprehensive schools system?

A
  • did not exclude steaming and could not prevent labelling in schools which means that the achievement gaps still existed amongst different social classes
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14
Q

What is marketisation?

A
  • policies that create competition between schools, meaning they are ran more like businesses
  • these policies have created an educational market which has driven up standards
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15
Q

What is the education reform act?

A
  • embraced neoliberal values and the new right ideas about competition and choice as ways of raising educational standards
  • schools have to attract customers (parents/carers) by competing with eachother in the market
  • those that provide customers with hat they want such as success in exams will thrive and those that do not will go out of business
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16
Q

What is the publication of league tables within the educational policy?

A
  • publication of league tables rank each school according to its exam performance and give parents the information they need to choose the right school
  • students will compete for better grades
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17
Q

What is open enrolment policy within the educational policy?

A
  • meant that pupils could apply to go to any school within their area rather than being restricted by catchment areas
  • this gave parents/carers greater choice over which school to send their child to
  • parentocracy meant parents can influence how schools operate and ultimately become customers
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18
Q

What is introduction of the national curriculum within the educational policy?

A
  • meant that all schools had to teach the same subjects between ages of 5-16
  • all students had to study maths, english and science and some subjects became optional such as history, art and photography
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19
Q

What is standard assessment tests (SATS) within the educational policy?

A
  • targets were set for children aged 7,11 and 14
  • the O level and CSE examinations became combined into GCSE qualifications
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20
Q

What is formula funding within the educational policy?

A
  • based on the number of enrolled pupils and a set amount of finances allocated to schools for each pupil
  • schools will enroll more pupils to gain the school money / gain attraction to the school through exam results
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21
Q

What are OFSTED reports within the educational policy?

A
  • schools inspected every 6 years to ensure the educational standards are met by every provider
  • any areas for improvement have to be addressed by set deadline and improvements made to ensure high quality education for all pupils and continued by the central government
  • made sure schools have specific standards and ensure they are being met
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22
Q

Why do the New Right support the introduction of marketisation policies?

A
  • it drives up standards and creates a ‘fair choice’
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23
Q

Why do Marxists criticise the introduction of marketisation policies?

A
  • say that parentocracy is a myth
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24
Q

What did David argue about parentocracy?

A
  • argued that the move towards marketisation of education creates power shift from teachers and schools to parents, resulting in parentocracy (meaning ‘rule by parents’)
  • david said this would lead to a fall in the amount of revenue for the unpopular schools and allow the successful and popular schools to expand
  • this would result in schools being forced to raise their cane for fear of being left without any customers which would rise education standards
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25
Q

What is Bartletts idea of cream skimming and how does it reproduce inequality?

A
  • where the best schools find ways to enroll the best pupils (eg MC ideal pupils)
  • makes it unfair as these schools will out perform others in league tables and continue to be more popular
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26
Q

What is Bartletts idea of silt shifting and the spiral of decline and how does it reproduce inequality?

A
  • where successful schools find ways of pushing less able pupils towards lower performing standards
  • faith schools might focus on pupils who have been baptised as a requirement
  • lower performing schools take on less able pupils which means results get worse and less people want to go = shut down which affects the WC pupils
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27
Q

What did Gewirtz say about parental choice in marketisation policies?

A
  • claimed that marketisation policies benefit the MC parents whose economic and cultural capital puts them in a better position to choose the best schools for their children compared to WC parents
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28
Q

What was Gewirtz research into parental choice in marketisation policies and what did she find?

A
  • 14 secondary schools in London
  • identified 3 types of parents who make choice over their children’s education: privileged skilled choosers, disconnected local choosers and semi skilled choosers
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29
Q

What are privileged skilled choosers according to Gewirtz?

A
  • well informed parents who have sufficient cultural capital to get their child into the chosen school
  • usually MC
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30
Q

What are disconnected local choosers according to Gewirtz?

A
  • tend to judge where their child should go to school on other factors (eg is it local?)
  • usually WC
  • avoid schools in other areas due to travel costs, choose school that offers free uniform
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31
Q

What are semi skilled choosers according to Gewirtz?

A
  • they know what school they would like their child to go to but unsure how to achieve this
  • usually upwardly mobile MC
  • choose mid to high schools
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32
Q

What did Tough and Brooks say about covert selection?

A
  • use the term covert selection to describe the process whereby schools try to discourage parents from lower socio economic backgrounds from applying by doing things such as:
  • making school literature difficult to understand
  • having lengthy application forms
  • not publicising the school in poorer neighbourhoods
  • requiring parents to buy expensive school uniforms
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33
Q

Why might MC parents be more able to manipulate the education system to their advantage? [5]

A
  • they have a more sufficient cultural capital
  • they are more financially stable
  • can afford transport to schools in other areas
  • can afford to live in houses where good schools are local
  • more likely to be well educated so know how it works
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34
Q

What is Ball’s myth of meritocracy in marketisation policies?

A
  • according to ball, marketisation policies legitimise class inequalities by concealing it’s true cause
  • for ball, the idea that parents have a free choice of school for their child is a myth as WC parents do not have the same access to schools as MC parents
35
Q

What does being in a good catchment area do to the price of housing properties? [2]

A
  • housing will be more expensive so only MC will be able to afford and therefore be local to good schools
  • housing prices near the 10% best performing primary schools are 8% higher than in surrounding areas
36
Q

What are the New Labour Educational Policies?

A
  • aimed to address two key education issues: reducing inequalities and creating greater choice and diversity
37
Q

What are education action zones? (aimed to reduce inequality)

A
  • designated deprived areas with high levels of unemployment, social and cultural deprivation are provided with additional educational resources for poorer pupils
38
Q

What are the issues with education action zones?

A
  • this does not really tackle the problem of poverty and material deprivation that causes inequality in educational achievement
  • any investment made without local consultation may fail
39
Q

What is education maintenance allowance? (aimed to reduce inequality)

A
  • provided pupils from poor backgrounds the additional income to support them with their studies, providing that they attend lessons
  • aim was to persuade pupils to remain in education longer rather than seeking low paid jobs
40
Q

What are the issues with education maintenance allowance?

A
  • this could lead to many classrooms being filled with unmotivated pupils, attending lessons only to collect their EMA
41
Q

What are national literacy and number strategies? (aimed to reduce inequality)

A
  • designating literacy and numeracy hours in schools to improve attainment of underachieving working class pupils
42
Q

What are the issues with national literacy and numeracy strategies?

A
  • not made compulsory for all schools do many schools do not implement this strategy
  • also, not all schools have difficulties with literacy and numeracy so could be considered a waste of time
43
Q

What is reduced class sizes in primary schools? (aimed to reduce inequality)

A
  • LEA’s we’re set limit of primary class sizes to less than 30 pupils to allow more individual teacher attention to assist each pupil to improve their academic performance
44
Q

What are the issues with reduced class sizes in primary schools?

A
  • critics argued that reductions in primary class sizes had only been achieved at the expense of class sizes in secondary schools so problems with large class sizes is shifted rather than resolved
45
Q

What is raising the school leaving age? (aimed to reduce inequality)

A
  • ensuring that all children stay in education longer to eradicate the emerging problem of NEET group (not in education, employment or training) who usually end up in long term unemployment
46
Q

What are the issues with raising the school leaving age?

A
  • this does not address problems with truancy, anti social behaviour or exclusion
  • also, the policy does not make it clear if parents will still be held accountable for pupils’ attendance
47
Q

What is the introduction of academies? (aimed to create greater diversity and choice)

A
  • encouraging failing schools to opt out of LEA’s and become partly or entirely funded by external investors such as businesses in order to improve the infrastructure and resources to raise education standards
48
Q

What are the issues with the introduction of academies?

A
  • businesses may have the working model but are they equipped to deal with education issues? what will they expect in return for their investment?
49
Q

What is the introduction of specialist schools? (aimed to create greater diversity and choice)

A
  • secondary schools were encouraged to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to offer parents greater choice and boost achievement by allowing bc schools to build on their strengths
50
Q

What are the issues with the introduction of specialist schools?

A
  • although specialist schools performed better at GCSE than non specialist schools, particularly benefitting more able pupils and narrowing the gap between girls and boys, such school also received addition funding from the government which can explain reasons for improvements rather than their curriculum specialism
51
Q

Why might Marxists be critical of academies?

A
  • may argue that academies run by businesses are more focused on making profits rather than educating kids
52
Q

What are the strengths of New Labour Policies? [2]

A
  • marxists would support policies that attempt to raise WC achievement such as EMA and EAZ
  • initiatives such as surestart prevents pupils from deprived backgrounds from falling behind in schools but makes sure that kids are well looked after
53
Q

What are the limitations of New Labour Policies? [2]

A
  • new right would reject policies like EMA and EAZ, arguing that they cost the government too much money and aren’t effective enough
54
Q

What are the Coalition Government Policies?

A
  • strongly influenced by neoliberal and new right ideas about reducing the role of the state in the provision of education through marketisation and privatisation
  • aim was to encourage excellence, competition and innovation by freeing schools from the ‘dead hand of the state’ through policies such as academies and free schools
55
Q

What changes in the educational policy did the Coalition Government bring about? [6]

A
  • all secondary schools were invited to apply for academy status
  • parents, charity and faith groups were encouraged to create ‘free schools’
  • EMA was abolished and replaced with a bursary for the poorest students (pupil premium)
  • universities increase tuition fees to £9000 per year and student loan arrangements changed
  • increase class sizes to 31 to accommodate for the largest population growth
  • introduction of studio schools which offer mixed academic and work based training, providing GCSE’s in english, maths and science
56
Q

What was the purpose of the expansion of academies?

A
  • goal was to save money
  • academies are publicly funded schools which operate outside of local authority control
  • funded directly by central government
  • academies have more freedom over their finances, the curriculum and teachers’ pay and conditions than other state schools
  • ‘education revolution’
  • ‘world beating system’
57
Q

How did New Labour view the Coalition Government Policies?

A
  • first introduced the idea of academies although these were aimed for failing schools in deprived areas only
  • New Labour academies had external sponsors such as companies, charities and universities
  • they are in favour of policies which try to address inequality in society, which academics may do
58
Q

How did New Right view the Coalition Government Policies?

A
  • they are in favour of any policy which shifts the power into the hands of schools as this will increase choices for parents, competition between schools and raise standards
  • however, moving the curriculum decisions into the hands of schools goes against their idea that the national curriculum should teach shared values and there is no guarantee of this if each school is teaching something different, particularly the case for faith schools
59
Q

What are the problems with academies?

A
  • concerns over the involvement of the ‘sponsers’ such as businesses = focus is to generate profit but education system not designed to do this
  • end up cutting corners at the expense of pupils
60
Q

What are free schools and how are they ran?

A
  • set up by groups of parents, teachers, charities and trusts, religious and voluntary groups
  • set up as academies and funded in the same way, directly from the central government
  • can appoint their own governing body (eg the group of people who make all the important decisions about the school)
  • can design their own curriculum without any real interference from government
  • set up in response to local demands so must be a petition from parents in the area naming the school as their first choice which is not the case with academies
61
Q

How do the New Labour view free schools?

A
  • critical of free schools because they are expensive and often not in the areas where school places are needed
  • they are set up with lack of regard for the needs of the local economy
  • government funding should be channeled towards existing schools not the brand new ones set up by parents
62
Q

How do The New Right view free schools?

A
  • championed the idea of free schools as a way of increasing choice for parents to even a greater degree: if they don’t like the choice of schools available to them, they can set up their own
  • this is positive as it is the ultimate parentocracy
63
Q

What are the problems with free schools? [2]

A
  • free schools benefit MC parents who have the time to set them up - they divert money away from already existing schools
64
Q

What does Ball argue about academies and free schools within fragmented centralisation?

A
  • argues that promoting academies and free schools has led to both increased fragmentation and increased centralisation of control over educational provision in England
65
Q

How does fragmentation of control impact the equality in education?

A
  • there are now many different types of school (eg free, faith and grammar)
  • this impacts the equality in education as areas in london have a better range of schools as well as other rich areas in the UK which puts MC at an advantage
66
Q

How does centralisation of control impact the equality in education?

A
  • where the government decides whether a free school can open or a comprehensive can convert to an academy (less influence of LEA in area)
  • this impacts the equality in education as politicians will not know the local needs and what the area is struggling with so schools may open that don’t meet local command
67
Q

What are the strengths of the Coalition Government Policies?

A
68
Q

What are the criticisms of Coalition Government Policies?

A
  • OFSTED found that in many cases the pupil premiums is not spent on those it is supposed to help
  • only 1/10 head teachers said that it had significantly changed how they supported pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds
69
Q

What is the privatisation of education?

A
  • a process where institutions or other bodies are transferred from being owned by the state (or government) to being owned by private companies (eg academies and free schools)
70
Q

What are some examples of the privatisation of education? [5]

A
  • private companies in the education service industry are increasingly more involved in a range of educational activities such as building schools and providing supply teachers
  • large scale school building projects often involve public-private partnerships where private companies provide capital to design, build and finance
  • companies compete with each other to supply software to the education sector
  • academic qualifications which were previously controlled by university academies have now been privatised (eg edexcel)
  • shops exploit the desire if parents to help their children’s school by running schemes where customers can donate locality points which can then be cashed in for equipment
71
Q

Why are Neoliberals and The New Right in favour of privatisation?

A
  • they argue that state run education is inefficient as it leads to ‘bureaucratic self interest’ (the stifling of initiative and low standards)
  • so education system must be privatised to overcome this
72
Q

Why are Chubb and Moe in favour of privatisation?

A
  • argue that privatising education would allow teachers to worry about the classroom but draw in the expertise of entrepreneurs for everything else which will improve standards
73
Q

Why is Ball against privatisation?

A
  • he refers to what he sees as the ‘cola-isation’ of schools; the private sector also increasingly penetrates schools through vending machines and the development of brand loyalty through logos and sponsorships
74
Q

Why is Molnar against privatisation?

A
  • points at face value supermarket schemes such as active kids vouchers which seem like the benevolent face of capitalism where big corporations promise free sports equipment for schools as a rewards to their customers for shopping with them
  • however molnar says this is another way in which the private sector exploits schools to enhance its profits
  • children out pressure in their parents to shop at specific supermarkets chains as this will get them free computers if other goodie for their school which increases sales, profits and creates free publicity for the supermarket whilst the actual benefits for the school are marginal
75
Q

How does blurring the public/private boundary argue against privatisation?

A
  • many high ranking officials in the public sector (eg head teachers) now leave their schools to set up or work for private sector education businesses
  • these companies then bid for contracts to provide services to schools and local authorities (eg acting as consultants to head teachers of schools that are failing)
76
Q

How does education as a privatised commodity argue against privatisation?

A
  • schooling is becoming increasingly more expensive with many private businesses being involved in many aspects of school like (eg uniform, trips, food, tutoring)
  • MC parents = more able to afford these costs but WC pupils have to rely on bursary and other financial help so potentially missing out on the full experience
77
Q

How has globalisation had an effect on education in the UK? [3]

A
  • increasing migration has meant education is now more multicultural: all schools now teach about ‘six world religions’ in RE
  • increasing cultural globalisation challenges the relevance of the national curriculum: the state becomes less in control over norms and values taught as well as history and literature
  • globalisation is now a named syllabus topic in several subjects such as geography and media studies
78
Q

To what extent is the ‘new and improved’ curriculum representative of all cultures?

A
  • it challenges what type of history and literature is taught in schools which becomes more fair for ethnic groups who have english as their second language
  • schools continue to promise british values through lessons
79
Q

What are multinational corporations?

A
  • part of the economic globalisation is the establishment of global ICT companies such as google and apple
  • they are involved in writing curriculums and online learning materials
  • thus education is increasingly shaped by the transnational corporations who make a profit out of providing these services to government
80
Q

Why are Marxists critical about the companies involved in multinational corporations

A
  • are critical of these companies being involved in the classroom as they may reinforce a capitalist message rather than prioritising the education of kids
81
Q

How has the job market affected education?

A
  • increased competition for jobs abroad meant the New Labour government increased spending on education in order to try and give children skills to make them more competitive in a global labour market
82
Q

How does globalisation challenge education?

A
  • globalisation creates new challenges for education such as the changing requirements of the economy as workers are required to be able to use technology and adapt their skills as a much faster rate
83
Q

What is an issue with making comparisons between positions in tbe PISA league tables?

A
  • hard to make direct comparisons between different countries as they teach different curriculums and different grading systems
84
Q

Why do Marxists reject private schooling?

A
  • because it is designed to meet the needs of bourgeoisie
  • only the richest families could send the child to a private school

Sociology Paper 1 (8 decks)

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