Policy Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is educational policy?
Plans and strategies for education introduced by the government
What was established by the 1944 Education Act?
The tripartite system
What was the purpose of the 11+ exam in the tripartite system?
To determine whether children would attend grammar schools or secondary modern/technical schools
What was the aim of the tripartite system?
To make education more meritocratic based on merit rather than income
What criticism did the tripartite system face?
It reproduced inequality by creating a class stratified education system
What was introduced in 1965 to address class divides in education?
The comprehensive system
What was a key aim of the comprehensive system?
To ensure everyone attended schools in their local area
True or False: The comprehensive system was mandatory for all Local Education Authorities (LEAs) to adopt.
False
What is marketisation in education?
Imposing market forces such as competition and consumer choice onto education
What were some policies introduced by the 1988 Education Reform Act?
Publication of league tables, OFSTED reports, business sponsorship of schools, specialist schools, formula funding
What is the ‘parentocracy’ concept introduced by David (1993)?
Power shifts from producers (teachers and schools) to consumers (parents)
What is Gewirtz’s (1995) argument regarding parental choice in education?
Middle-class parents have more choice than working-class parents due to economic and cultural capital
What is the ‘myth of parentocracy’ according to Ball (1994)?
It suggests that education appears to offer free choice but in reality, it reproduces class inequality
What policies did New Labour introduce from 1997 to 2010?
Education Action Zones, Aim Higher, Educational Maintenance Allowance, Raising the school leaving age
What paradox did Benn (2012) identify in New Labour’s policies?
The contradiction between tackling inequality and commitment to marketisation
What was a significant shift in education policy under the Conservative-Liberal Democratic Coalition government in 2010?
Accelerated shift from comprehensive schools to academies
What are Free Schools?
State-funded schools set up by parents, teachers, or organizations dissatisfied with local education
What criticism did Allen (2010) have regarding Free Schools?
They primarily benefit children from highly educated middle-class families
What does ‘privatisation of education’ refer to?
The transfer of public assets to private companies for educational services
What is the ‘cola-isation’ of schools?
The process by which the private sector penetrates education indirectly, such as through vending machines
What is the focus of assimilation policies in education?
To help ethnic minority pupils assimilate into mainstream British culture
What is multicultural education (MCE)?
Aimed to promote achievement by valuing all cultures in the curriculum
What did Mirza (2005) argue about social inclusion policies?
They take a ‘soft’ approach that focuses on culture and behavior rather than structural issues like racism
What is the criticism of critical race theorists regarding multicultural education?
It is seen as mere tokenism that fails to tackle institutional racism
