Diversity and choice evaluation

Question 1

Choice is an illusion

Answer 1

National curriculum and SATs
Miller
Wragg

Question 2

National curriculum /SATs

Answer 2

offers less choice over education as it is standardised…one education for ALL! Students have a lack of choice over what topics they cover / learn as do teachers about what they teach. Exam specifications dictate course content.

Question 3

Miller

Answer 3

illusion
Absolute choice in schools is still an “illusion” - Poorer pupils are less able to exercise ‘choice’ because they cannot afford to move house or travel to better schools. Academically selective and Faith Schools have lower proportions of pupils on free school meals and ethnic minority pupils.

Question 4

Class inequality

Answer 4

Bourdieu

Gerwitz

Question 5

Bourdieu ( marxist)

Answer 5

Cultural/economic and social (networks with other parents who may be governors etc) capital may limit ability to exercise choice.

Question 6

Gerwitz ( Marxist)

Answer 6

Middle class parents are the ‘privileged skilled choosers’, working class parents are ‘disconnected choosers’ as they don’t have the right knowledge to be able to make informed decisions about schools. The possession of ‘cultural capital’ impacts upon ability to choose schools effectively.

Question 7

Ethnic inequality

Answer 7

Byrne

Raey and Lucey

Question 8

Byrne

Answer 8

Migrant parents are less able to access information about schools and often restricted by application dates and disadvantaged by lack of local knowledge – They cannot make informed choices over where to send their children to school.

Question 9

Raye and Lucey

Answer 9

Found ethnic minority pupils were more likely to attend schools with high proportions of ethnic minority pupils as this felt ‘safer’ (cultural comfort zones) even if that meant choosing a worse performing school – Meaning choices were limited for these students.

Question 10

Wragg

Answer 10

Victorian railway carriage’ education system…
1st class = Eton, Harrow and other private schools, then onto Oxford, Cambridge - Upper class students
2nd class = Grammar and ‘Outstanding’ comprehensive schools then onto a Russell Group Universities - Middle class students
3rd class = “Unsatisfactory” comprehensives then to ‘other’ Universities / old Polytechnic Universities - Working class students
This shows that if a student is from a deprived background they will have less choice about types of schooling and Universities.