EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND INEQUALITY Flashcards
What is Fragmentation in educational policy?
Fragmentation refers to the comprehensive system being replaced by a patchwork of diverse provision, much of it involving private providers, leading to greater inequality in opportunities.
What is Centralisation of control in education?
Centralisation of control means that central government alone has the power to allow or require schools to become academies or free schools, funded directly by the central government.
What does ‘Educational policy’ refer to?
‘Educational policy’ refers to the plans and strategies for education introduced by the government, such as Acts of parliament, along with instructions and recommendations to schools and local authorities.
What was the state of education in Britain before 1988?
Before the industrial revolution, education was only available to a minority, provided by fee-paying schools or churches and charities, with no public money spent on education.
How did industrialisation affect education?
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 part of the tripartite system?
Grammar schools offered an academic curriculum for pupils with academic ability, while secondary modern schools provided a practical curriculum for those who failed the 11+.
How did the tripartite system reproduce class inequality?
The tripartite system reproduced class inequality by channeling social classes into different types of schools and requiring girls to achieve higher marks than boys for grammar school places.
What was the aim of the comprehensive school system introduced in 1965?
The comprehensive system aimed to overcome the class divide of the tripartite system and make education more meritocratic by abolishing the 11+ and creating schools for all pupils.
What do Functionalists argue about comprehensive schools?
Functionalists argue that comprehensives promote social integration and are more meritocratic by allowing pupils a longer period to develop their abilities.
What do Marxists argue about comprehensive schools?
Marxists argue that comprehensives reproduce class inequality and create a ‘myth of meritocracy’ that legitimates unequal achievement.
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 are some policies that promote marketisation?
Policies include publication of league tables, business sponsorship of schools, open enrolment, and allowing parents to set up free schools.
What is Parentocracy?
Parentocracy, described by Miriam David, refers to the shift of power from producers (teachers and schools) to consumers (parents) in a marketised education system.
How does the funding formula affect schools?
Schools receive funds based on pupil numbers, leading popular schools to thrive while unpopular schools struggle due to reduced funding.
What did the Institute for Public Policy Research find about competition-oriented education systems?
The Institute found that competition-oriented education systems like Britain’s produce more segregation among children of different social backgrounds.
What is the ‘myth of parentocracy’?
The ‘myth of parentocracy’ suggests that all parents have equal freedom to choose schools, while in reality, middle-class parents have advantages.
What policies did New Labour introduce to reduce inequality?
New Labour introduced policies like Education Action Zones, the Aim Higher programme, Education Maintenance Allowances, and increased funding for state education.
What is the ‘New Labour paradox’?
The ‘New Labour paradox’ refers to the contradiction between Labour’s policies to tackle inequality and its commitment to marketisation.
What was the Coalition government’s approach to education?
The Coalition government accelerated the move away from comprehensive schools and focused on marketisation and privatisation in education.
What are Academies?
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 set up and run by parents, teachers, or businesses, aimed at improving educational standards.
What evidence exists regarding Free Schools and disadvantaged pupils?
Evidence shows that free schools take fewer disadvantaged pupils than nearby schools, indicating social divisiveness.
What are some Coalition policies aimed at reducing inequality?
Policies included free school meals for young children and the pupil premium for disadvantaged pupils.
What is privatisation in education?
Privatisation involves transferring public assets like schools to private companies, turning education into a profit source.
How does globalisation affect education policy?
Globalisation leads to foreign ownership of educational services and the export of UK education policy to other countries.
What is a trend in the globalised education market?
In a globalised world, education 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 impact of private companies on nation-states in education policy?
Nation-states are becoming less important in policy making, which is shifting to a global level and 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 an example of limited benefits from private sector involvement in schools?
A Cadbury’s sports equipment promotion was scrapped because pupils needed to eat 5,440 chocolate bars to qualify for volleyball posts.
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 in education?
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?
Assimilation policies focused on helping minority ethnic pupils integrate into mainstream culture.
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 groups by valuing all cultures in the curriculum.
What is a criticism of multicultural education (MCE)?
MCE is criticized for being tokenism, focusing on stereotypical features rather than addressing institutional issues.
What does Maureen Stone argue about black pupils and self-esteem?
She argues that black pupils do not fail for lack of self-esteem, making MCE misguided.
