Butler act 1944

Question 1

What is the 1944 Tripartite system?

Answer 1

Students took an IQ test at 11 ( the 11+), the result of which determined which one of three three types of school the would attend:
The top 20% went to grammar schools, received an academic education and got to sit exams.
The bottom 80% went to secondary moderns. These provided a more basic education, and initially students didn’t sit any exams.
There were also technical schools which provided a vocational education, but these died out fairly quickly.

Question 2

What were the main aims of the tripartite system?

Answer 2

Selective education – students would receive a different education dependent on their ability. All students would sit a test at age 11 (the 11+) to determine their ability and sift them into the right type of school.
Equality of opportunity – All students in England and Wales have a chance to sit the 11 + . Previous to 1944, the only pupils who could get a good, academic equation were those who could afford it.

Question 3

evaluation of the tripartite system:

Answer 3

There were class inequalities – grammar schools were mainly taken up by the middle classes and secondary moderns by the lower classes.
The IQ test determined pupils futures at a very young age – no room for those who developed later in life.
Some of the secondary moderns had very low standards and labelled 80% of pupils as failures.
Gender inequalities – in the early days of the IQ tests girls had to get a higher score to pass than boys because it was thought they matured earlier than boys.

Question 4

What was the 1965 Comprehensive schooling system?

Answer 4

The Tripartite System was abolished and Comprehensive schools established.
Local Education Authorities would maintain control of schools,
its main aim was equality of opportunity – one type of school for all pupils

Question 5

evaluation of comprehensive schooling:

Answer 5

There were poor standards in some schools – especially where progressive education was concerned.
Banding and streaming occurred along social class lines – the working classes typically ended up in the lower bands and vice versa for the middle classes.
Parents had very little choice in education – it was nearly impossible to remove their children from the local school if they wanted, because it was thought that all schools were providing a similar standard of education.
it encouraged mediocrity as students at the top and bottom all received a middle ground.