educational policies

Question 1

what was the butler act?

Answer 1

-education act 1944- tripartite system
-consisted of 3 different school types: grammar, secondary modern schools, technical school
-to asses which students went to which schools they took an 11 plus exam
-one of the ground breaking results of the act is that it opened secondary schools to girls, and the working class

Question 2

what do Durkheim and comte say about educational policies? (postmodernist)

Answer 2

both belived that doing research was part of the enlightenment project- to use science and reason to imporve society.
durkhiem wanted to establish a meritocratic education system and to abandon inherited wealth

Question 3

what is the youth training system? ( conservative/ new right)

Answer 3

YTS was introduced in 1980s- training offered to NEETS. if young people did not accept this training their benefits were taken away. paid a “nominal wage”

Question 4

what are NVQs? (conservative/new right)

Answer 4

on the job training- not seen in the same light as academic qualifications. popular trade-plumber, electricain and carpenter

Question 5

what are GNVQs?(conservative/new right)

Answer 5

training in key sectors-health and social care, lesuire and tourism. enables students to develop skills for the workplace

Question 6

what was the education reform act? (conservative/new right)

Answer 6

development of a range of vocational initiatives led to a proliferiation of qualifications and awards

Question 7

what is the national curriculum? (conservative/new right)

Answer 7

key stages were introduced into schools. at each key stage a number of educational objectives were to be achieved. standardised education for all. ensured a certian level of education as a minimum. basic literacy and numeracy skills for all

Question 8

what are SATs?(conservative/new right)

Answer 8

introduced to standardis testing. tracked progress and quality of teaching

Question 9

what are league tables? (conservative/new right)

Answer 9

used to asses quality of schools- links to competitions and rasising standards. schools were increasingly being ‘marketised’. an element of choice was introduced, where parents could specify which school was their preffered choice

Question 10

what is ofsted? (conservative/new right)

Answer 10

quality assurance to check level of education was suitable in schools and to raise standards of education

Question 11

what was the new deal? (new labour)

Answer 11

aimed at unemployed NEETs who were offered voluntary work for 6 months/ job with training or full time education. anyone refusing would lose benefits. the aim was to improve job prospects of young people/ get them off the streets

Question 12

what are vocational gcses?

Answer 12

applied gcses were to be worth 5 gcses encouraging students to be put on them for league table results. they were scrapped by the conservative government as they were being misused by schools for league table position and not seen as rigorous enough

Question 13

what were the 14-19 diplomas?

Answer 13

provided a recognised and respected route into further and higher education or direct employment.focuses on different vocational areas. did not do gcses

Question 14

what is sure start? (new labour)

Answer 14

network of organisations was set up in 2000 ‘to work with parents-to-be, parents and children provide for the physical, intellectual and social development of babies and young children’. this consisted of sure start centres as well as aditional funding and support for lower classes/disabled

Question 15

what is education maintenance allowance (EMA)? (new labour)

Answer 15

students from low income families follwoing post16 academic and vocational courses at school and FE colleges recieve grants- £30 a week for students to pay for travel to college/school etc, additional rescources and equiptment, trips etc

Question 16

what were education action zones (EAZ)?( new labour)

Answer 16

schools were divided into ‘zones’- the best performing schools were encouraged to work closely with failing schools with the aim of ‘sharing good practise’

Question 17

what is excellence in citie? ( new labour)

Answer 17

additional funding was given to schools in disadvantaged areas- money came from local corporations. money was spent on breakfast clubs, homework clubs, literacy and numeracy schemes, special needs teaching and IT equiptment

Question 18

what was curiculum 2000? (new labour)

Answer 18

this split the 2 year a level into 2 seperate courses- AS in 1st year and, A2 in 2nd year. the completion of both years left students with an a level. this meant some could leave with AS qualifications after 1 year. new subjects were introduced at a level, e.g pe. it also introduced ‘key skills’- qualifications that aimed to prepare people for work- numeracy, literacy and IT skills

Question 19

what are city academies? (new labour)

Answer 19

‘failing’ schools were given the opportunity to claim ‘acadamy’ status- They were then able to recieve extra funding- State but also business ‘sponsers’- academies had access to support and expertise from their sponsers or sponsering organisations and from governors. of the 30 academies inspected by oftsted in 2008/9, five were rated outstanding, 12 were rated good , eight were satisfactory

Question 20

what was the introduction of HE tuition fees? (new labour)

Answer 20

1998-1k, 2006-3k- some may argue that the initiative was to raise standards and quality of teaching

Question 21

what was the embedding of literacy and numeracy in all lessons (oftsed)? (new labour)

Answer 21

literacy and numeracy in all lessons, to develop skills and prepare for workplace. to raise standard of education

Question 22

what was the introduction of apprentiships? (coalition)

Answer 22

ability to ‘earn whilst you learn’. mimimum wage for apprentiships was £3.50ph- trained in skills employers want. driven by david cameron

Question 23

what were changes to GCSEs/ a level reforms? (coalition)

Answer 23

a move away from coursework and modular assesments to final exams after 2 years. removgal of january exam at AS/A2. saw the introduction of the linear a level- started to get rid of first year AS qualification- aim was to test more “rigorously” to raise standards

Question 24

what was the introduction of EBacc? (coalition)

Answer 24

stands for the english baccalaurete- consists of english language and literature, maths and sciences, geography or history and a langauge. the government stated that it planned to for the new qualifications to be more “rigorous”, with the exams to be taken at the end of the two year course. aim was to raise standards

Question 25

what was phonics and modification of SATS? (coalition)

Answer 25

focus on raising standards in terms of literacy and numeracy includes introduction of phonics screening in year 1 and spelling and grammar checks at KS2

Question 26

what is the adaptation and expansion of academies? (coalition)

Answer 26

‘oustanding’ schools could now become academies. partially state funded, partially sponsers- this completely changed the original purpose of academies under labour

Question 27

what were free schools? (coalition)

Answer 27

opened in areas “where they are needed”. state funded and set up by the

Question 28

what was the proposed expansion of grammar schools?(coalition)

Answer 28

revival of grammar schools to raise standards. Have to sit the 11+ to gain a place - “Elitist” form of education - Government funded but for highest performing students

Question 29

what is pupil premium?(coalition)

Answer 29

The Pupil Premiumwas allocated to children from low-income families who were known to be eligible for FSM in both mainstream and non-mainstream settings and children who have been “looked after” continuously for more thansix months – Money given directly to schools for them to support students. Post 16 these students have access

Question 30

what are universal school meals? (coalition)

Answer 30

rom September 2014 all KS1 (Reception and Years 1 and 2 eligible for free school meals. Those eligible for Pupil Premium can apply for FSM after this.

Question 31

increase in HE fees ( coalition)

Answer 31

From 2012 increased to £9k per year - aim to raise standard of education.