Education Flashcards
History of education
The 1944 Education Act (also known as the Butler Act after Conservative politician Rab Butler) established a tripartite secondary schools system:
Grammar Schools for the academically able
Technical Schools for the technically able
Secondary Modern Schools for everyone else
Children took exams in their last year of primary school – the 11 Plus – to determine which school they would attend. In practice the technical schools never really took off and the system became a two tier structure of grammars and secondary moderns.
What happened throughout 1960s and 1970s?
Throughout the 1960s and 70s Labour and Conservative governments chipped away at the tier system in favour of the Comprehensive System, where pupils of all abilities were taught together.
The conversion of grammars into comprehensive schools continued under Conservative governments and today just 164 selective grammar schools survive.
David Cameron’s government ruled that no new grammars could be established but current ones could expand (e.g. Sevenoaks grammar school in Kent)
Theresa May lifted the ban on new grammars and Philip Hammond’s March 2017 Budget set aside £320m to expand the free school programme and create 140 news schools, some of which may be selective. But this pledge was abandoned following the June 2017 election
1901 Local Education Authorities
Since 1901 Local Education Authorities (LEAs) have been responsible for running schools and providing some democratic oversight through elected councillors. Originally LEAs were the county councils. They still are in two-tier authorities. Unitary authorities, like Sheffield, are also LEAs.
Why has the power of LEA’s diminished
But in recent years the power of LEAs over schools has diminished:
1988 Conservative Education Reform Act established Grant Maintained Schools that could opt out of local authority control
The Act also established the National Curriculum
In 2000 the Labour government introduced City Academies, established in partnership with private companies using PPP/PFI schemes and specialising in particular subjects like languages, sport or sciences, usually targeted at struggling schools in deprived areas
They managed their own admissions and could select 10% of pupils by aptitude
2010 Academies Act
From 2010 the Coalition government under Education Secretary Michael Gove further expanded the academy scheme with the 2010 Academies Act.
Academies are independent of the LEA and employ their own staff and can set their own term and school times
They do not have to follow the National Curriculum
They cannot charge fees
They are automatically classed as charities and therefore enjoy tax breaks
They are often run in conjunction with private companies and charities
Gove forced failing schools to become Academies
He also fast tracked outstanding schools to become Academies
Almost 7,000 schools are Academies
72% of secondary schools and 27% of primary schools are Academies
The 2010 Academies Act also established the idea of Free Schools
These are schools set up by parents, teachers, charities or businesses in areas where there is a shortage of provision
They are independent of the LEA
They are not selective and cannot charge fees
They are not allowed to make a profit - but some employ
Educational Management Organisations to run the schools, and they can make a profit
NB Both Academy and Free schools are state schools, funded by the taxpayer and are not allowed to charge fees to parents
Academies today
Almost 7,000 schools are Academies
72% of secondary schools and 27% of primary schools are Academies
Two main types:
Sponsored academies—these have sponsors such as businesses, universities, other schools, faith groups or voluntary groups. Mostly previously underperfoming schools turned into academies to improve performance.
Converter academies—these don’t have sponsors, and were previously assessed as performing well.
In some areas a number of schools have combined to form multi academy trusts (MATs) to run schools
Current Secretary of State for Education is Gavin Williams.
Funding
Spending on education will be about £92bn (2020/21) – about 12.5% of total government spending
Current government pledged to protect the schools budget
Money goes either from central government to local authorities (the Dedicated Schools Grant) for LEA controlled community schools
Or directly to Academy and Free schools
December 2016 the government introduced a new National Funding Formula for Schools to address large disparities in funding per pupil
The new formula takes into account ‘mobility’ to help schools with a high pupil turnover and sparsity, which will help rural schools
Hugely controversial – 10,740 schools gained, 9,128 lost out
Even the winners will be hit by rises to the national living wage, pension and NI costs
Schools are warning of job cuts to teachers and shortening the school day
Winners = Derby, York, Torbay, Somerset, Barnsley Losers = Hackney, Camden, Lambeth, Lewisham, Haringey
Ofstead
The Office of Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) is charged with regulating standards in state schools
Ofsted publishes league tables of school performance
It also carries out regular inspections, rating schools as:
Outstanding
Good
Requires Improvement
Inadequate
Ofsted can give a notice to improve
Or put the school into ‘special measures’ if it is failing to provide an adequate education.
The school will be closely monitored and re-inspected within two years.
Senior staff may be removed.
It could be closed down and reopened as an academy
Inspection reports on all schools can be accessed at the Ofsted website http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/
Another quango – The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) – was set up to maintain standards in examinations
Education quick summary
Academies introduced by Labour from 2000
Massively expanded under the Coalition’s Academies Act 2010
2010 also set up Free Schools – both are state schools that cannot charge fees and are funded by the taxpayer
Academies/Free Schools are not controlled or funded by the Local Education Authority, but directly by the Department of Education.
Academy/Free Schools are self-governing and can set their own term times and school hours and employ their own staff
They do not have to follow the National Curriculum
Community schools are funded/controlled by the LEA and have to follow the National Curriculum.
All state schools are subject to inspections by Ofsted
