Education Policies Flashcards
The Tripartite System (1944 Butler Education Act)
Q: What was the Tripartite System?
A: A system that divided students into three types of schools based on the 11+ exam:
• Grammar Schools → Academic students.
• Secondary Modern Schools → Practical skills.
• Technical Schools → Vocational training (few built).
The Tripartite System (1944 Butler Education Act)
Q: What were the criticisms of the Tripartite System?
A:
• Reinforced class inequality (middle-class dominated grammar schools).
• 11+ exam was culturally biased (favored middle-class students).
• Girls needed higher scores than boys to enter grammar schools.
The Comprehensive System (1965 – Labour Government)
Q: What was the Comprehensive System?
A: Replaced the Tripartite System with one type of school for all students, aiming for equality.
The Comprehensive System (1965 – Labour Government)
Q: What were the benefits of Comprehensive Schools?
A:
• No more 11+ exam, making education more accessible.
• Mixed students of different backgrounds, reducing class divisions.
• Offered a wider range of subjects.
The Comprehensive System (1965 – Labour Government)
Q: What were the criticisms of Comprehensive Schools?
A:
• Streaming & setting still reinforced class inequalities.
• Middle-class parents moved to areas with better schools (“selection by mortgage”).
• Some grammar schools remained, maintaining inequality.
Marketisation (1988 Education Reform Act – Thatcher Government)
Q: What is Marketisation?
A: Applying business principles to schools by increasing competition & choice.
Marketisation (1988 Education Reform Act – Thatcher Government)
Q: What were key Marketisation policies?
A:
• League tables → Schools ranked by exam results.
• OFSTED inspections → Assessed school performance.
• Formula funding → Schools got money per student.
• Parental choice & open enrolment → Parents could apply to any school.
• National Curriculum → Standardized education.
Marketisation (1988 Education Reform Act – Thatcher Government)
Q: What are criticisms of Marketisation?
A:
• Gerwitz (1995) → Middle-class parents benefited most (cultural & economic capital).
• Ball (1994) → Schools focused on image & results, not learning.
• Educational triage → Schools focused on students who could boost results.
• Cream-skimming → Good schools recruited middle-class students.
New Labour Policies (1997-2010 – Tony Blair & Gordon Brown)
Q: How did New Labour attempt to reduce inequality in education?
A:
• Education Action Zones → Extra funding for deprived areas.
• EMA (Educational Maintenance Allowance) → £30 per week for low-income students.
• Aim Higher Programme → Encouraged working-class students to go to university.
• Reduced class sizes & literacy programs → Helped struggling students.
New Labour Policies (1997-2010 – Tony Blair & Gordon Brown)
Q: What are the criticisms of New Labour policies?
A:
• Still promoted marketisation (e.g., tuition fees introduced).
• EMA was later scrapped by the Coalition Government.
• Private schools & grammar schools remained, maintaining inequality.
Coalition Government Policies (2010-2015 – David Cameron & Michael Gove)
Q: What were key Coalition Government education policies?
A:
• Academisation → More schools became academies, independent from local councils.
• Free Schools → Set up by parents, charities & businesses.
• Pupil Premium → Extra funding for disadvantaged students.
• Scrapped EMA → Replaced with bursaries.
• Tuition fees increased → Up to £9,000 per year.
Coalition Government Policies (2010-2015 – David Cameron & Michael Gove)
Q: What were criticisms of the Coalition Government’s policies?
A:
• Academies & Free Schools lacked accountability.
• Higher tuition fees discouraged working-class students from university.
• Pupil Premium was often misused by schools.
Recent Policies (2015-Present)
Q: What are recent education policies introduced after 2015?
A:
• T-Level qualifications → Focus on technical education.
• Focus on STEM subjects → Encouraging students into science & maths.
• Grammar school expansion proposals → Controversial plans to bring back selective education.
Exam Skills & Questions
Q: Outline and explain two ways in which government policies have increased competition between schools.
A:
1. League tables → Parents compare schools based on performance.
2. Formula funding → Schools compete for students to get more money.
Exam Skills & Questions
Q: Evaluate the view that education policies since 1988 have improved equality of opportunity.
A:
For:
• New Labour introduced policies to support disadvantaged students (EMA, Aim Higher).
• Comprehensive schools allowed all students to access education.
• Pupil Premium provided additional support for poorer students.
Against:
• Marketisation increased class inequalities (Gerwitz: Middle-class parents benefit most).
• Tuition fee increases discouraged working-class students.
• Academies & Free Schools created a two-tier system (not all schools have equal resources).
