EDUCATIONAL POLICY - 1988 Educational Reform Act (ERA) Flashcards
What ideas and ‘School of Thought’ was Thatcher’s government most inclined with?
New Right ideas!
What are 4 of the features that the Education Reform Action (ERA) of 1988 included?
- The National Curriculum
- SAT tests
- GCSE’s
- League Tables
What is the key word that means that parents have more power and choice over their children’s education?
Parentocracy!
What is the definition of Marketisation and what part of the ERA was Marketisation created by?
Marketisation is the encouragement of competition in order to create a ‘market’ between schools and the education system!
This is often seen and linked to LEAGUE TABLES, in which schools are ranked against each other! This creates an incentive for schools to get the best exam results!
What are the 2 reasons that explain why the ERA introduce the National Curriculum?
- It made it easier to compare schools using standardised tests = All schools had the same / similar tests, so comparing them on league tables was much easier!
- It took control away from local education authorities and gave the government and governmental institutions more control. This was supported by the local management of schools, whereby headteachers (alongside governors) had to look after the schools budget!
What is one POSITIVE EVALUATION point for the 1988 ERA?
- Many of the principles and features of this Act have remained in place to this day, which suggests that there were (and still are) effective!
What are some NEGATIVE EVALUATION points for the 1988 ERA?
- League tables and SATs have been criticised for putting too much pressure onto schools! –> This encourages labelling and the self-fulfilling prophecy (BECKER)!
- The National Curriculum has been criticised as being too restrictive and also quite ethnocentric!
- Parentocracy is limited to mainly wealthy, middle-class parents who can easily put their child into a better OFSTED rated school and choice the best school for their child!
