educational policy and inequality Flashcards
before the industrial revolution in the late 18th and 19th century, what was the education system like
education = only available to minorities of upper classes or provided by churches + charities for the poor
what increased the need for an educated workforce and when did the sate begin to become more involved in education, what changes were made
industrialisation from late 19th century. education made compulsory for ages from 5 to 13 in 1880
what did the type of education received depend on
it depended on social class. schooling did little to change pupils ascribed status
what act brought in the tripartite system and in what year???
1944 Education Act bought in tripartite system
what is the tripartite system and what does it encourage
allocated students to their abilities + aptitude. encourage meritocracy
11+ exam - grammar schools - offered an academic curriculum + access to non manual jobs + higher education MC
secondary modern schools non - academic practical curriculum + access to manual work for pupils who failed the 11+ WC
technical schools -
rather than promoting meritocracy how did the tripartite system reproduce inequality
channelling the two social classes into 2 different types of school that offered unequal opportunities
girls required more marks to pass the 11+
how did the tripartite system justify inequality
through the ideology that the ability is inborn.
argued that ability could be measured early on in life (11). however some children environment affects chance of success
more time for intelligent development
when was the comprehensive system introduced to the UK
from 1965 onwards
how did the comprehensive system make the education system overcome the class divide at the tripartite system
11 + was abolished with grammar + secondary schools to be replaced by comprehensive schools where all people from same area could attend
what do functionalists see the comprehensive system as
comprehensive system promotes social integration by bringing different classes to school.
how is the functionalist view of the comprehensive system not really true, what sociologist claims this
Ford - found little social mixing in social class because of streaming
why do functionalists see the comprehensive system as more meritocratic compared to the tripartite system
it gives students a longer time to develop and show true abilities whereas the tripartite system asks for that at 11
how do Marxists view the comprehensive system as not being meritocratic
they produce a continuation of inequality through streaming + labelling from generation to generations
WC pupils are denied of equal opportunity
how did marketisation create a education market
reducing the state control of education
increasing competition between schools by parentocracy
what policy has marketisation as a central theme
1988 Education reform Act
from 1997, and 2010 how was marketisation carried on through society
New Labour Tony Blair followed similar policies emphasising standards, choice + diversity
2010 - conservative - liberal democrat took marketisation further by creating academies + free schools
what policies promote marketisation
-publication of league tables + Ofsted inspection are observable
- business sponsorship of schools
- open enrolment - allowing successful schools to recruit more pupils
- specialist schools - specialising in IT, languages….
- allowing free schools to be built
introduction of tuition fees for higher education
who coined the term parentocracy
David
how does marketisation reform act reproduce inequalities according to these sociologists
Ball + Whitty
marketisation policies e.g league tables produce inequalities between schools themselves
what do league tables encourage according to this sociologist
Bartlett
cream - skimming. good schools can choose to be selective to high achievers
silt - shifting - good schools avoid those who may be damaging to the schools reputation + league table position
what is the funding formula
schools gain money based on how many students are recruited
how does the funding formula cause inequalities between schools
popular schools get more funds so they can afford better qualified teachers + facilities they can afford to be selective (MC)
unpopular schools loose demand + income reproduces a low subscription as low investment on equipment + staff
public policy research (2012)
competition - oriented education systems e.g Britains produce segregation between children of different social backgrounds
how does parents economic and cultural capital cause inequality according to this sociologist
gerwitz study of 14 London secondary schools
differences in parents economic + cultural capital lead to differences in how they choose
privileged - skilled choosers - professional MC parents use economic + cultural capital to convert it into educational capital. know how school admissions work e.g putting schools as first choice + research
disconnected local choosers - WC choices restricted by lack of economic + cultural capital. difficult to understand admission process
distance + cost are restrictions in choice of school
semi - skilled choosers - WC unlike disconnected chooser, they are ambitious for their children but they lacked the capital to make it make sense
how does Ball believe that parentocracy reproduced inequality
Ball - argues parentocracy is a myth, not a reality
makes it appear that all parents have the same choice in school
why does Gerwitz think that parentocracy is a myth
MC parents better at understanding + taking advantage of the choices available
how are MC parents privileged according to Leech + campos
MC can use economic capital to move somewhere with a good catchment area - to educational capital
what policies did the New Labour from 1997 - 2010 introduce to decrease inequality
- designating deprived areas as Education Action Zones + providing them with resources
- Aim Higher programme raise aspirations of group under represented in higher education
- Education Maintenance Allowances to encourage them to stay in education and not leave to work
- increased funding for state education
what is a contradiction of New Labour policies according to Benn + example of contradiction
contradiction of New Labour policies to tackle inequality + commitment to marketisation - the new labour paradox
despite introducing EMA - labour also introduced tuition fees for higher education that may decrease applicants
the conservative led government years in action
2010 - 2015
Academies and the conservative government
schools encouraged to leave local authority control + become academies. funding taken from local authority to government - given control over their own curriculum
by 2017 68% schools become a academy
how do free schools increase educational standards
take control away from state + give power to parents
parents are given opportunity to create new school if unhappy with state schools in their local areas
why may free schools not help inequalities according to this sociologists findings
in sweden where 20% of schools are free schools they only benefit children from highly educated families
only selective to those of advantaged families Bristol free school only had 6,4% having FSM compared to 22.5% of pupils over city (DoE 2012)
what is fragmented centralisation according to this sociologist
Ball
promoting academies + free schools lead to fragmentisation of + centralisation
framgentisation - comprehensive system replaced by patchwork of diverse provision, leads to greater inequality
centralisation of control - central government alone has the power to allow/ require schools to be set up
what are some policies that the conservative government introduced that decreased inequality
free school meals - for reception year 1 +2
pupil premium - money school receives from each disadvantaged pupil
what is a criticism of pupil premium according to Ofsted
Ofsted 2012
pupil premium not spent on purpose
only 1 in 10 teachers thought that it helped
what did the conservative government do that decreased the benefits of previous governments
EMA abolished, higher education fees tripled to 9,000, 60% Sure Start closed down
what is the cola - isation of schools
private sector penetrating education indirectly through vending machines + brand loyalty through logos + sponsorships
since the 1970s what policies have been introduced to help girls achievement
GIST + WISE
what are assimilation policies
1960’s +70’s focused on needs of minority ethnic groups to assimilate into mainstream culture as a way of increasing achievement
what are multicultural education policies
through 1980’s + 90’s aimed to promote achievements of pupils from minority ethnic groups by valuing all cultures
why has multicultural education policies been criticised
Stone argues that black pupils do not fail from lack of self - esteem so MCE is misguided
critical race theorists argue MCE is tokenism, it picks stereotypical features of cultures for inclusion in the curriculum
new right criticise for perpetuating cultural divisions . education system should have 1 mainstream culture
