educational policies Flashcards
What is the primary aim of educational policy?
To establish guidelines and frameworks for the education system.
True or False: Educational policies only affect primary and secondary education.
False
Fill in the blank: The _______ Act of 1944 is a significant piece of legislation in UK education.
Education
What does the term ‘compulsory education’ refer to?
Education that is required by law for children of certain ages.
Which UK government body is primarily responsible for setting educational standards?
Ofsted
What is meant by ‘marketization’ in education?
The introduction of market principles into the education system, such as competition among schools.
True or False: The Education Reform Act of 1988 introduced the National Curriculum.
True
What is the purpose of the Pupil Premium?
To provide additional funding to schools for disadvantaged students.
Which educational policy focuses on reducing class sizes?
The Labour government policy in the late 1990s.
What does ‘inclusive education’ aim to achieve?
To ensure all students, regardless of their background or abilities, have access to quality education.
Fill in the blank: The _______ Review in 2010 examined the future of higher education funding.
Browne
What is the significance of the Academies Act 2010?
It allowed schools to convert to academies, gaining more autonomy from local authorities.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is NOT a type of school in the UK? A) Academy B) Comprehensive C) Charter D) Grammar
C) Charter
What is the role of local authorities in education?
To oversee and support schools within their jurisdiction, ensuring compliance with national policies.
True or False: Private schools in the UK are funded by the government.
False
What is the effect of tuition fees on higher education access?
They can create financial barriers for some students, affecting their ability to attend university.
Fill in the blank: The _______ Act of 2011 introduced reforms to the school system, particularly around free schools.
Education
What does the term ‘social mobility’ refer to in the context of education?
The ability of individuals to move up the social ladder through educational achievement.
Multiple Choice: Which policy aims to close the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers? A) Free school meals B) Pupil Premium C) School uniforms D) Standardized testing
B) Pupil Premium
What is the importance of teacher training in educational policy?
It ensures that educators are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to teach effectively.
True or False: The introduction of standardized testing has been universally accepted as beneficial.
False
What does the term ‘educational attainment’ refer to?
The level of education that an individual has achieved.
What is the purpose of the National Curriculum?
To set out the subjects and content to be taught in schools in England.
Fill in the blank: The _______ Policy encourages schools to work collaboratively to improve educational outcomes.
Partnership
What is a key criticism of the league tables in education?
They can promote competition over collaboration among schools.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is a characteristic of a comprehensive school? A) Selective admission B) Free to attend C) Private funding D) High academic standards
B) Free to attend
What does ‘educational inequality’ refer to?
Disparities in education quality and access based on socio-economic status, location, or ethnicity.
True or False: The government has no role in regulating private schools.
False
state schools
all children in England between the ages of 5and 16 are entitled to a free place at a state school
who introduced the 1988 education reform act
Thatcher’s Conservative Government. Thatcher, however, largely takes a
New-Right perspective
main aspects : curriculum and standards
Defining what is taught, including the National Curriculum, assessment frameworks, and qualifications
main aspects : access and inclusion
Policies to ensure education is available to all, addressing issues like socioeconomic disparities and special educational needs.
main aspects: funding and resources
Allocation of public funds and resources to schools, colleges, and universities.
main aspects: teacher training and workforce
Standards and policies for teacher qualifications, recruitment, and professional development.
main aspects: accountability and performance
Frameworks for school inspections, league tables, and monitoring educational outcomes
main aspects: higher education and skills
Policies for universities, apprenticeships, and vocational training to align education with economic needs
who was the 1988 education reform act introduced by
introduced by Thatcher’s conservative government , however she largely takes a new right perspective
main aims 1988 education reform act
- to reduce free market principles (more competition) into ed sys to introduce greater parental choice and control over state ed
- raising standards in ed
( aims associated with neoliberalism and the new right)
details of the 1988 education reform act
- MARKETISATION AND PARENTOCRACY
- LEAGUE TABLES
- OFSTED - to regulate and inspect schools
- NATIONAL CURRICULUM - so that all schools are teach
( 1988 reform act main aims) MARKETISATION AND PARENTOCRACY
schools compete for pupils’ , parents are like consumers
( 1988 reform act main aims): League tables
so parents can see how well schools are doing and make a choice
( 1988 reform act main aims): OFTSED
to regulate and inspect schools
( 1988 reform act main aims): National curriculum
Main aims of the 1988 education reform act
- to introduce free market principles (↑ competition) into the ed sys to introduce greater parental choice and control over state education
- ↑ standards in education
( aims associated w neoliberalism and the new right)
Details of the 1988 education reform act
- marketisation and parentocracy
- league tables
- OFTSED
- National curriculum
- Formula funding
(details of 1988 education reform act): Marketisation and parentocracy
schools compete for pupil’s parents , which are like consumers
(details of 1988 education reform act): League tables
so parents can see how well schools are doing and make a choice
(details of 1988 education reform act): OFTSED
- to regulate and inspect schools
- introduced by the act
- all state funded schools (primary , secondary and sixth forms) inspected under the same framework and are judged from “outstanding” to “inadequate”
- schools usually given a day’s notice before an inspection (extreme cases - 15 mins)
- schools rated as “requires improvement” or below (even good) face repetitional damage
(details of 1988 education reform act): National curriculum
so that all schools are teaching the same basic subjects
(details of 1988 education reform act): Formula funding
based on numbers of pupils , which encourages schools to raise standards to increase demand
Issue with 1988 education reform act
- selection by mortgage (house prices in catchment areas of best schools increased , pricing out poorer parents)
- cream skimming (best schools tended to select best students - predominantly middle class)
- marketisation has reproduced inequalities
how does marketisation reproduce inequalities
middle class parents are better placed to take advantage of the available choices
Stephen Ball (1994) and Geoff Whitty (1988)
- Marketisation has reproduced inequalities because, for example, middle-class parents are better placed to take advantage of the available choices
- examined how marketisation reproduces these through league tables and the funding formula.
Bartlett (1933) - main
competition and selection
Bartlett (1933) - detail
- argues the marketisation leads to popular schools
cream skimming: schools selecting higher ability pupils who gain the best results and cost less to teach
Silt Shifting: schools off-loading pupils with learning difficulties who get poorer results and cost more to teach
Gilborn and Youdell (2004) - main
the A-to-C economy
Gilborn and Youdell (2004) - detail
- Schools are under pressure to stream and select pupils who will achieve a good league table position to attract funding.
- League tables generates a “A-C economy”. Schools ration their time, effort and resources, concentrating on
pupils perceived at having 5 A-C target. - Referred to as the “Educational Triage”.
Ball (1994) - main
parentocracy
Ball (1994) - in detail
believes that we have an appearance of parentocracy as it seems to give parents free choice, however middle-class parents have more economic and cultural capital and can therefore take advantage of the choices. For example, moving to be closer to a
more desirable school
Gerwitz (1995) - main (mc)
privileged school chooser
Gerwitz (1995) - detail
- Professional Middle Class parents used their cultural and economic capital to gain
education capital for children - Take full advantages to the choices open to them as
they are confident and well educated. - Cultural capital- knew how the admission system works
and had time to visit schools and the skills to research
the options available to them. - Economic capital- could afford to move their children
around the education system to get the best deal e.g. paying travel costs
Gerwitz (1995) - main (wc)
- Working class parents with lack of cultural and
economic capital find it difficult to understand admission procedures - Less confident and less aware of choices available to
them - Less able to manipulate the system to suit them
- More interested in safety and quality of the schools
facilities rather than achievement and ambitions - Distance and cost of travel are major restrictions-
nearest school often most realistic
Gerwitz (1995) - main (semi)
semi-skilled chooser
Gerwitz (1995) - detail (semi)
- Mainly working class
- Ambitious for their children
- Lacked cultural capital and found the market difficult and often rely on other people’s opinions.
- Frustrated with inability to place child where they
wanted
1997 (-2010) - new labour:
main aims
- To respond to increased competition due to globalisation
- Raising standards
- Equality of opportunity
- Increasing choice and diversity
1997 (-2010) - new labour:
Details of policies
- Reduced infant classes to a maximum of 30.
- Introduced numeracy and literacy hour in primary schools.
- Allowed the creation of faith schools and specialist status schools and
Sure Start. - Set up Education Action Zones to help in areas of deprivation.
- Early academies increased standards in poor areas a lot
2000 City Academies (now known as Sponsored
Academies)
Introduced by Tony Blair’s Labour Government
- Tackling educational underachievement
within disadvantaged communities.
- Set up to improve underperforming
schools in deprived areas and raise
educational standards of disadvantaged
pupils
- Charities and corporations are involved in education and are able to operate
schools
academies by 2012
By 2012, over half of secondary schools converted to academies- fastest growing type of school
Labour targeted…
disadvantaged areas and the coalition government then allowed any school to become an academy
(2010) and removed the focus on reducing inequality. Academies which have converted are known as academy converter (which
are usually not sponsored by any corporation)
Criticisms of academies
- Large academy chains criticised for :
- way they operate their schools- with results being more of a
priority than student welfare. - lack of accountability and transparency within the local
community - operated within a top down approach rather than by the community.
- high staff turnover. This means that the pupils within its schools are unable to form strong relationships with their teachers.
- Questionable to how funds are spent, for example on
“Executive Principals” with high salaries. - A number of schools have been forced to become
academies against their wishes.
Criticisms of New Labour Policies - academy schools
Sally Tomlinson: argues that the middle-classes have benefited from
New Labour’s policies and that the focus on exam performance has
limited the educational experience of many pupils.
Outline two ways that education has
become marketised. (4 marks)
- Schools now compete with each other. (1 mark).
- For example, schools are encouraged to improve their exam results and gain
good Ofsted ratings in order to gain a good place in league tables. (1 mark) - Private corporations are now more involved in education. (1 mark)
- For example, sponsored academies mean that private companies such as Ark have more control over the delivery of schooling. (1 mark)
Tripartite system
3 types of secondary schools:
- grammar
- secondary modern
- technical
11+
to find out which type of secondary school (grammar/2ry modern/technical) you go to
pass = grammar/technical
fail = secondary modern
comprehensive schools
local schools which do not select pupils on basis of academic ability
1965 - labour gov…
abolished tripartite system and encouraged development of comprehensive schools
specialist schools
schools could apply to be specialist schools, to do so they had to get private
sponsorship which was matched by the government (£50,000)
Allowed to select 10% of pupils who showed aptitude in specialism
school targets
- Number of targets increased and had to publish in league tables
- Pupil achievement, OFSTED rating, truancy (absence) rates
- Value added = difference between level of achievement at SATs and GCSEs
academies
Introduced, state funded by government
Sponsored by organisation to oversee running of school e.g. business, charity, faith
group
Can set own admissions policy and own curriculum
Educational Maintenance Allowance:
- Paid to students 16-19 from lower income families
- Given if students attended all lessons and met targets
£30 a week
sure start
Children’s centre delivering services to children under 5 and families
raising parental aspiration, health, high quality childcare
The influence of New Right principles on New Labour policy meant that …
competition and choice was seen as key to improving
educational standards
Evaluation - new right influence
- meant that competition and choice was seen as the key way to improve educational standards. *However Tomlinson points out that the middle class has
gained most from these policies.
*They were best placed to ensure their children attended the best
performing schools - The focus on exams and league tables meant that
education had become about ‘exam technique and rote learning’.
evaluation - social democratic influence
- resulted in directing resources towards deprived groups and areas
- the gender gap remained large and continuing levels of child poverty meant that education could not compensate for the effects of low income on the educational performance of lower classes
Ball (evaluation - social democratic influence)
suggests there were overall increases in the proportion of students getting 5 or more GCSEs at grade C and improvements in achievement for some ethnic minorities.
archer -
