Education - The New Right Perspective

Question 1

What is The New Right?

Answer 1

A political idea & sociological perspective associated with a trend of conservatism in the UK & US in the 1970s (characterised by the rise of Margaret Thatcher & Ronald Reagan

Combines neo-liberal economics with more traditional conservative views on social issues e.g. family life, law & order)

Question 2

What are The New Right’s key ideas in education?

Answer 2

Similar perspective to functionalists
Tend to think that contemporary state education fails to perform the role it should, because of a centralised state control & policies that seek to standardise & improve inequality
Argue that for education to be properly meritocratic, there needs to be more competition

Question 3

How do they believe meritocracy is achieved?

Answer 3

Competition between schools (results)
Increased in parental choice
Increased involvement of private enterprise

Question 4

What is the 1988 Education Reform Act (ERA)?

Answer 4

Introduced:
- league tables
- the national curriculum & GCSEs
- SATs
- formula funding
- open enrolement (parental choice)
- OFSTED (early 1990s)

Question 5

What does The New Right say about vocational education?

Answer 5

It’s the result of marketisation of education
Believe vocational education is essential - teaches specific skills that support economic growth
New types of schools were introduced e.g. City Technology Colleges (CTCs) in the 1980s to create a skilled workforce - some state schools converted to CTCs & became grant maintained
Schools could specialise in languages, music, art, science & technology
Although National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) seen as ‘lesser’ qualifications, they still provided specialist skills & training needed to compete in the job market

Question 6

SOCIOLOGISTS: What did Chubb & Moe say about education?

Answer 6

• Argued reason private schools (USA) performed better than public schools was because the schools answerable to paying parents. The more the education system could follow this model, the better they could become.
• conducted a study comparing attainment levels of pupils from low income households using parental surveys, statistics & case studies. found that state education is not meritocratic as pupils from low income households were less able to suceed. also found the 5% of pupils from low-income families consistently did 5% better in private than state schools.
• To fix the state’s failings, they suggested opening up education to the market. proposed a voucher system, where parents & carers would given vouchers to spend on buying best education for their children, since vouchers would be a school’s main source of income.

Question 7

How does this apply to contemporary education?

Answer 7

Standardised testing through life e.g. SATs, GCSEs, A Levels, Uni exams)
Development of education markets - early years -> higher education
Increased privitsation of education
Wider range of schools

Question 8

What is privatisation of education?

Answer 8

Schools operating like private businesses - performance targets, marketing etc.
Academisation
Schools able to opt out of LEAs (Local Governing Authorities) so they control & manage themselves

Question 9

What is a strength of the new right perspective?

Answer 9

Marketisation has been the dominant approach to education for 30+ years

Question 10

What are the criticisms of the new right perspective?

Answer 10

• Ignores inequality/disadvantaged groups – social class, ethnicity etc.
• Suggests individuals are responsible for their own actions. Like functionalists, they believe failure is due to the individual alone – both theories shift blame from state to the individual.
• Marxists believe competition between schools only benefits ruling capitalist class & middle classes who can use their capital to access the ‘best’ schools
• Gertwitz et al – middle class are advantaged as they can play the system