1.3 The New Righf Perspective On Educationa

Question 1

What is the New Right?

Answer 1

It is a Conservative political perspective. Its ideas are influenced by Labour and the Conservative policies. A central principle of new right thinking is the belief that the state cannot meet peoples need and that people are best left to meet their own needs through the free market.

Question 2

Define free market

Answer 2

A system of buying and selling goods and services that is not under the control of the government.

Question 3

Marketisation

Answer 3

Process whereby services like education or health that were previous controlled by the state, have government or local council control reduced or removed

Question 4

How is the new right similar to functionalists

Answer 4

1. They believe that some people are naturally more talented than others.
2. They broadly favour an education should socialise pupils into shared values such as competition and instil a sense of national identity

Question 5

How does the state promote a one size fits all approach in education ?

Answer 5

-ofsted
-routine
-uniform
-exams

Question 6

What did chubb and moe do 1990?

Answer 6

Their argument was that the American state education has failed. They make a number of claims:
- disadvantaged groups
- inefficient state education
-private schools deliver higher quality education
They based their arguments on the comparison of the achievements of 60000 pupils from low income families in 2015 state and private high schools. Their evdi3nce shows that pupils from low income families consistently do about 5% better in private schools.
From this chubb and mow call for the market system in state education.
Chubb and moe want to stop schools from automatically receiving guaranteed funding.

Question 7

Pros and cons for families having vouchers to spend on buying education:

Answer 7

Pros:
Wider range of schools/education
Schools make themselves look better- better resources

Cons:
Schools might get no funding
More pressures on Schools from parents. More backlash
Issue of funding for different families.

Question 8

2 roles the new right have for the state:

Answer 8

1. Imposing a framework on schools within which they compete
2. The state ensures that schools transmit a shared culture

Question 9

Evaluation of the new right perspective:

Answer 9

Gerwitz and ball both argue that competion between schools benefits the middle class who can use their cultural and economic capital to gain access to more desirable schools.

Critics argue the real cause of low educational standards is not state control but social inequality and inadequate funding of state schools.

Marxists argue that education does not impose a shared national culture as the new right argue but imposes the culture of a dominant minority ruling class.