EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND INEQUALITY Flashcards
What is fragmentation in education?
Fragmentation refers to the replacement of a comprehensive system with a patchwork of diverse provisions, often involving private providers, leading to greater inequality in opportunities.
What does centralisation of control in education mean?
Centralisation of control means that central government has the power to allow or require schools to become academies or free schools, which are funded directly by the central government.
What is educational policy?
‘Educational policy’ refers to the plans and strategies for education introduced by the government, such as through Acts of parliament, along with instructions and recommendations to schools and local authorities.
What was the state of education in Britain before 1988?
Before 1988, there were no state schools, and education was available only to a minority, provided by fee-paying schools or by churches and charities for the poor.
How did industrialisation impact education in Britain?
Industrialisation increased the need for an educated workforce, leading the state to become more involved in education and making schooling compulsory from ages 5 to 13 in 1880.
What was the tripartite system introduced by the 1944 Education Act?
The tripartite system selected children for one of three types of secondary school based on their attitudes and abilities, identified by the 11+ exam.
What types of schools were included in the tripartite system?
The tripartite system included grammar schools for academically able pupils, and secondary modern schools for those who failed the 11+.
What is the comprehensive school system?
The comprehensive system, introduced from 1965, aimed to overcome the class divide of the tripartite system by abolishing the 11+ and creating schools that all pupils in an area would attend.
What do functionalists argue about comprehensive schools?
Functionalists argue that comprehensives promote social integration by bringing children of different social classes together and provide a longer period for pupils to develop their abilities.
What do Marxists believe about comprehensive schools?
Marxists argue that comprehensives reproduce class inequality and deny working-class children equal opportunities, despite appearing to offer equal chances.
What is marketisation in education?
Marketisation refers to introducing market forces of consumer choice and competition into state-run areas like education, creating an ‘education market’.
What policies promote marketisation in education?
Policies include publication of league tables, business sponsorship of schools, open enrolment, and allowing schools to opt out of local authority control.
What is ‘parentocracy’ in education?
Parentocracy refers to the idea that power shifts to parents in a marketised education system, allowing them more choice and encouraging diversity among schools.
How does the funding formula affect schools?
The funding formula allocates funds based on pupil numbers, benefiting popular schools while leaving unpopular schools with reduced funding and resources.
What is the ‘myth of parentocracy’?
The myth of parentocracy suggests that all parents have equal choice in selecting schools, while in reality, middle-class parents have advantages that allow them to access better options.
What policies did New Labour introduce to reduce inequality?
New Labour introduced policies like Education Action Zones, the Aim Higher programme, and Education Maintenance Allowances to support disadvantaged students.
What was the ‘New Labour paradox’?
The ‘New Labour paradox’ refers to the contradiction between Labour’s marketisation policies, which increased inequality, and its attempts to reduce inequality through other initiatives.
What changes did the Coalition government make to education policy?
The Coalition government accelerated the move away from comprehensive schools, promoting academies and free schools while cutting education budgets.
What are academies in the education system?
Academies are schools that have left local authority control, funded directly by the central government, and have control over their curriculum.
What are free schools?
Free schools are state-funded but run by parents, teachers, or organizations rather than local authorities, aimed at improving educational standards.
What is privatisation in education?
Privatisation involves transferring public assets like schools to private companies, making education a source of profit for capitalists.
How does globalisation affect education policy?
Globalisation leads to foreign ownership of educational services and the export of UK education policy, diminishing the role of nation-states in policy making.
What is a trend in the globalised education sector?
In a globalised world, funds are often bought by overseas companies.
How do some UK edu-businesses operate internationally?
Some UK edu-businesses work overseas, exporting UK education policy and providing related services.
What is the effect of globalisation on nation-states in education policy?
Nation-states are becoming less important in policy making, which is shifting to a global level and is often privatised.
What does ‘cola-isation’ of schools refer to?
The penetration of the private sector in education through vending machines and brand loyalty.
Why are schools targeted by private companies?
Schools carry enormous goodwill and can confer legitimacy on associated products.
What is a limitation of private sector involvement in schools?
The benefits to schools and pupils are often very limited.
What was the Cadbury’s sports equipment promotion issue?
Pupils had to eat 5,440 chocolate bars just to qualify for a set of volleyball posts.
What was the spending of UK families in Tesco for educational resources?
UK families spent £110,000 in Tesco supermarkets in return for a single computer for schools.
What was the status of females in higher education in the 19th century?
Females were largely excluded from higher education.
What was a requirement for girls under the tripartite system?
Girls often had to achieve a higher mark than boys in the 11+ to obtain a grammar school place.
What policies have been introduced since the 1970s to address gender differences?
Policies such as GIST have been introduced to reduce gender differences in subject choice.
What were the focus areas of assimilation policies in the 1960s and 70s?
They focused on helping minority ethnic pupils assimilate into mainstream culture to raise achievement.
What do critics argue about the causes of underachievement in minority groups?
Critics argue that poverty or racism, not language, are the real causes of underachievement.
What was the aim of multicultural policies in the 1980s and 1990s?
To promote the achievements of minority ethnic children by valuing all cultures in the curriculum.
What is one criticism of multicultural education (MCE)?
Maureen Stone argues that black pupils do not fail for lack of self-esteem, making MCE misguided.
What do critical race theorists say about MCE?
They argue that MCE is mere tokenism, failing to tackle institutional issues.
