Educational policy and inequality Flashcards
In what way did the tripartite system reproduce class inequality?
-From 1944, education began to be influenced by the idea of meritocracy.
-However, the 1944 Butler Act brought in the tripartite system in which students were selected and allocated to be in 1 of 3 types of schools which were based on attitudes and abilites.
-For them to be placed in them, they had to pass the 11+ exam.
-Therefore, it reproduced class inequality as it channelled the 2 different social classes, MC students were more likely to pass this exam and so went to grammar schools.
Identify two reasons why comprehensivisation did not end educational inequality
-some grammar schools still exist in some areas
-Comprehensive schools continued to reproduce inequality between classes as they continued to stream and label students
Explain how the idea that there is a ‘parentocracy’ legitimates inequality
-David describes marketised education as a ‘parentocracy’
-This gives parents the power and choice of where their child should go to school and so schools have to have high standards otherwise they will lose their funding formula.
-By making it appear that all parents have the same freedom to choose which school to send their children to, whereas in reality middle-class parents are better able to take advantage of the choices available. Failure is thus presented as the fault of parents who fail to choose wisely
Explain why an education market might raise educational standards
David describes marketised education as a ‘parentocracy’
-This gives parents the power and choice of where their child should go to school and so schools have to have high standards otherwise they will lose their funding formula.
-By making it appear that all parents have the same freedom to choose which school to send their children to, whereas in reality middle-class parents are better able to take advantage of the choices available. Failure is thus presented as the fault of parents who fail to choose wisely
