Education

Question 1

Authority

Answer 1

The exercise of power based on consent or agreement.

Question 2

Bourgeoisie

Answer 2

A multi-generational family in which each generation has one or very few members.

Question 3

Capitalism

Answer 3

An economic system in which private owners invest money or capital in businesses to make a profit. Marxists feel the family supports this.

Question 4

Cultural deprivation

Answer 4

This tends to happen when children’s backgrounds do not provide them with the necessary cultural resources to do well at school e.g. encouragement from parents or visits to museums.

Question 5

Cultural Diversity

Answer 5

Culturally based differences between people in a society in terms of religion, ethnicity and social class.

Question 6

Dependency culture

Answer 6

Some people who rely on state benefits are seen as developing a way of life in which they become so dependent on benefits they lose the motivation to work.

Question 7

Gender socialisation

Answer 7

The process through which individuals learn what is seen as appropriate masculine and feminine behaviour and acquire a gender identity.

Question 8

Geographical Mobility

Answer 8

Moving house from one area to live in another area, region or country.

Question 9

Hidden Curriculum

Answer 9

Things learnt in school that are not formally taught such as valuing punctuality or obedience.

Question 10

Hierarchy

Answer 10

A hierarchy is shaped like a layered pyramid. Each layer has more power than the one below it, in schools for example, the head teacher is typically at the top of the hierarchy and the pupils are at the bottom.

Question 11

Institutional Racism

Answer 11

This occurs when an organisation (such as a police force, hospital or schools) fails to provide an appropriate services to people because of their ethnic origin, culture or colour. Institutional racism can be seen in organisational attitudes or behaviour that discriminates, even when individuals themselves act without intending this.

Question 12

Labelling

Answer 12

The process of attaching a label to individuals or groups.

Question 13

Life Chances

Answer 13

An individual’s chances of achieving positive or negative outcomes as they progress through life. E.g. health, education and housing.

Question 14

Material Deprivation

Answer 14

The lack of material resources such as money and textbooks.

Question 15

Minority Ethnic group

Answer 15

An ethnic group that is in a minority in a particular society.

Question 16

Official Curriculum

Answer 16

The formal learning that takes place in schools, e.g. during history and science lessons.

Question 17

Official Educational Statistics

Answer 17

Existing sources of quantitative data complied by government agencies such as the Home Office.

Question 18

Peer pressure

Answer 18

A group of people who share a similar status and position in society, such as people of a similar age, outlook or occupation.

Question 19

Relative deprivation

Answer 19

This occurs when individuals or groups feel that they are badly off in relation to the living standards of their peers.

Question 20

School Ethos

Answer 20

The climate or character of a school including its polices on behaviour, homework, uniform or discipline.

Question 21

Secondary socialisation

Answer 21

Learning norms and values through a secondary source. For example: Peer groups, school, workplaces or the mass media.

Question 22

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 22

This occurs when a teacher makes a prediction about a pupil’s likely performance that comes to be true.

Question 23

Status frustration

Answer 23

Albert Cohen argued that working class boys experience status frustration when they try but fail to meet middle class expectations at school.

Question 24

Streaming

Answer 24

Pupils are grouped according to their general ability and then taught in this group for all their subjects.

Question 25

Underclass

Answer 25

This term refers to people who experience long term poverty and who are unable to obtain a living.

Question 26

What are the economic and selective roles of education?

Answer 26

Functionalist perspectives see these as positive and of benefit to the whole society. Marxist perspectives see education as having a beneficial role for privileged groups in society and reinforcing existing inequalities.

Question 27

What changes took place in Britain’s education system up to 1965?

Answer 27

A formal education system began in Britain in 1870, linking the state to educational provision. This was developed further by the tripartite system, which aimed to allocate students to schools based on their academic ability.

Question 28

What is the comprehensive system?

Answer 28

The comprehensive system was introduced to allow all students, regardless of academic ability, equality of opportunity by attending the same type of school.

Question 29

What are school league tables?

Answer 29

The introduction to league tables have created more competition and provided more information to parents however critics suggest they may have led to a reduction in educational opportunities for some.

Question 30

How can social class affect achievement?

Answer 30

It is believed that students from high social class backgrounds have a greater chance of achieving high qualifications.

Question 31

How can material factors affect achievement?

Answer 31

The concept of material deprivation suggests that children from more privileged backgrounds in general have better material facilities in the home.

Question 32

How can parental attitudes affect achievement?

Answer 32

Middle class and working class parents are argued to have different values and expectations regarding education. Middle class values may lead children to fit in better with the school environment, while working class children may be culturally deprived.

Question 33

Why is the performance of female students improving faster than that of male students?

Answer 33

Influence of males’ own attitudes to studying, changes in the wider society in terms of traditional male roles.

Question 34

Academies and the English Baccalaureate

Answer 34

Academy schools are state-funded schools in England which are directly funded by the Department for Education and independent of local authority control. The terms of the arrangements are set out in individual Academy Funding Agreements. Most academies are secondary schools.

Question 35

Cultural capital

Answer 35

This means that middle class students have more financial and practice support and encouragement than
working class students

Question 36

Free school

Answer 36

A school set up by an organisation or a group of individuals, funded by the government but not controlled by the local authority

Question 37

Meritocracy

Answer 37

A meritocracy is a social system in which people’s success in life depends primarily on their talents, abilities, and effort.

Question 38

Private schools

Answer 38

An independent school supported wholly by the payment of fees.

Question 39

Public schools

Answer 39

A public school is an independent secondary school. Public schools in England are not run by the government. The entrance exams used by most public schools are known as Common Entrance exams and are taken at the age of 11 (girls) or 13 (boys).

Question 40

SATs

Answer 40

A test taken by school students as part of the national curriculum.

Question 41

Selective schooling - tripartite system

Answer 41

A selective school is a school that admits students on the basis of some sort of selection criteria, usually academic.

Question 42

State funded schools

Answer 42

Schools that provide education to pupils between the ages of 3 and 18 without charge.

Question 43

Specialist schools

Answer 43

Specialist Schools are state secondary schools that aim to be local centres of excellence in their chosen specialism

Question 44

Vocational education

Answer 44

Vocational education is education that prepares people to work in a trade, in a craft, as a technician, or in support roles in professions such as engineering, accountancy, nursing, medicine, architecture, or law.

Question 45

Setting

Answer 45

This is where students are put into different sets according to their ability but only for certain subjects.

Question 46

How are schools monitored?

Answer 46

Ofsted inspections and league tables

Question 47

Advantages of comprehensive schools

Answer 47

• They try to break down social barriers between classes, genders and ethnic groups.
• Better facilities and resources because of more funding.
• Tried to improve the failings of the tripartite system.
• Offer opportunities to all students regardless of background.

Question 48

Disadvantages of comprehensive schools

Answer 48

• They accept lower standards.
• They offer parents a limited choice.
• More able students may be held back.
• They are larger so students receive less attention

Question 49

Advantages of independent schools

Answer 49

• Smaller classes and better facilities resulting in better education for children.
• Better examination results.
• The school has more power to take action against disruptive pupils.
• Students are more likely to get places at high status universities.

Question 50

Disadvantages of independent schools

Answer 50

• Students have to travel very long distances to
  school.
• Do not mix with people from different backgrounds.
• Only accessible to the rich.
• Less able students may be held back.