Education: The Significance Of Education policies

Question 1

What are the educational policies before 1979?

Answer 1

• 1870 Education Act: the first education act making a commitment to provide education nationally
• 1918 Education Act: the age of compulsory education was raised to 14
• 1944 Butler Act: provided free education & raised the age of compulsory education to 15, intro of grammar/secondary technical/secondary modern schools
• 1965 - expansion of comprehension schools

Question 2

What are the educational policies since 1979?

Answer 2

There are two views of education, which reflect the broader left and right wing views about society.
The left wing view: the role of education is to reduce inequalities & focus on underachieving groups
The right wing view: the role of education is to provide choices, there are different types of schools, & there is parental choice

Question 3

Conservative government policies (1979 - 1997)

What does the Act include?

Answer 3

• League tables - make schools compete against each other with exam results
• Intro of Ofsted - measures the success of schools
• Intro of the national curriculum
• Parental choice of schools

Question 4

Labour government policies (1997 - 2010)

What does the Act include?

Answer 4

• Intro of academies - tackles of underperforming schools
• Free childcare for every preschool child
• Tuition fees for uni
• Stricter Ofsted guidance

Question 5

Coalition government policy (2010 - 2015)

What does the Act include?

Answer 5

• Uni tuition fees increased
• Ofsted inspections target failing schools
• Intro of free schools
• Changing the A-level system and reintroducing the two year A-level
• Emphasis on old-fashioned discipline - e.g. strict uniform codes

Question 6

What is the impact of marketisation on different social groups?

Answer 6

• Class: Allowing increased parental choice benefits the m/c
• Gender: Some girls respond well to the pressure on them and schools to perform, increasing the gender gap. Girls are often perceived to be achievers and are therefore more attractive to selective schools
• Ethnicity: Some ethnic minorities have less cultural and material advantages which means that they are less able to utilise choices

Question 7

How has globalisation affected education?

Answer 7

• Greater geographical mobility, migration of people due to moving for jobs or for better life chances (including better education)
• Global focuses on teacher training
• A concern with issues of access and equality opportunity
• Greater individualism in learning rather than a nationally decided curriculum
• Greater focus on educating students about what it means to be part of not just a nation state but also part of a European and a global community