Education - Policy Flashcards
What is Economic Efficiency in education policy?
Developing the skills of young people to improve the labour force by aligning the education system with the needs of industry and employers.
What is Raising Educational Standards?
Ensuring UK education competes globally in rankings like PISA by improving quality and achievement.
What is Creating Equality of Educational Opportunity?
Ensuring all students have access to the best educational opportunities regardless of background.
What is Equality of Access?
Every child should have the same opportunity to access educational provision of similar quality, regardless of socio-economic background.
What is Equality of Circumstance?
Children should all begin school with a similar socio-economic background so they are truly equal from the start.
What is Equality of Participation?
All students should be able to take part on an equal footing in school life and its processes.
What is Equality of Outcome?
All students should have the same chances of achieving in education, regardless of their socio-economic background.
What did the 1988 Education Reform Act do?
Required all schools to teach the same core curriculum.
Not suitable for all; favours ‘academic’ pupils.
What was the aim of the 1965 Comprehensivisation Act?
Abolished the 11+ exam; aimed to give all students parity of esteem and equality in education.
Comprehensive schools are large and may lack individual attention.
What does the Schools Admissions Code prohibit?
Discrimination based on socio-economic background or ability.
Covert selection still happens; postcode lottery affects access.
What is the Pupil Premium?
Extra funding for disadvantaged students.
Kerr and West argue too many out-of-school factors affect achievement.
What are the 3 types of selection in education?
- Selection by ability – entrance tests
- Selection by aptitude – talents
- Selection by faith
What are arguments against selection?
• Late developers don’t benefit
• Mixed ability teaching fosters social cohesion
• Reduces risk of labelling and self-fulfilling prophecy (SFP)
• High achievers can inspire others
What are arguments in favour of selection?
• Allows high-flyers to benefit
• Enables specialised and focused teaching
What are the criteria for Over-Subscription Policies?
• Children in care
• Pupil premium students
• Siblings (at LA’s discretion)
• Catchment area (closest first)
• Faith
What are Open Enrolment Policies?
Parents can apply to any state school. If the school is under-subscribed, it must accept the child.
However: Popular schools fill up fast, so many parents don’t get their first choice.
What is Covert Selection?
Backdoor social selection by:
• Using complex admissions info to discourage poorer parents
• Advertising in middle-class areas
• Requiring spiritual letters for faith school admission to filter students based on values/commitment
