Educational policies affecting gender and ethnicity

Question 1

Tripartite system

Answer 1

11* exam
Girls had to get higher score than boys to get in to grammar school (boys-80%) (girls-90%)
Although it gave them the opportunity to go to grammar school or university

Question 2

National curriculum

Answer 2

Made things equal for girls for the first. time as they were now doing the same subjects as boys

Question 3

GIST (Girls into science and technology)

Answer 3

This involved female scientists visiting schools, non-sexist career advice and learning materials that reflected equality

Question 4

WISE (Women into science and engineering)

Answer 4

Encouraged girls to get involved with subjects traditionally aimed at boys

Question 5

Introduction of coursework

Answer 5

Made it easier for girls to compete as they were more conscientious and put more effort it

Question 6

Extra writing classes for boys at primary school

Answer 6

Grants were given to primary schools to help boys with their literacy, so they could push up their SAT results

Question 7

Reduction of coursework

Answer 7

Meant girls no longer had an advantage over boys

Question 8

Evaluation of policies that affect different genders

Answer 8

There is still a divide in terms of education achievement with girls outperforming boys at all stages of education.
GIST and WISE lead to increase in girls taking ‘male’ subjects however other factors such as: gendered subject images, career opportunities, identity and teachers still play a significant role in keeping these as male subject areas.
Critics argue that focus and money spent on policies to improve boys achievement is further penalising girls positions in education

Question 9

Assimilation- (you became the same as another group) (1960’s/1970’s)

Answer 9

To help ethnicity minority students to fit in with British culture e.g. to learn english language and norms and values

Question 10

what was the social inclusion policy

Answer 10

involved detailed monitoring of exam results by ethnicity. Schools had a legal duty to promote the race relations act. Saturday schools were introduced in the black communities and help was given learning english as a second language

Question 11

Multi cultural education policies

Answer 11

aimed to value all cultures in the school curriculum, thereby raising minority pupils self esteem and achievement

Question 12

Direct evaluation of policies that affect ethnic minorities

Answer 12

1. Some groups at risk of underachieving. Critics argue poverty or racism could be the real cause of their underachievement
2. Marketisation policies such as parentocracy had a negative effect on some ethnic minorities as they couldn’t ‘play the system’
3. Multicultural education has been criticised as mere tokenism and fails to tackle institutional racism