Educational Policy in Britain before 1988 Flashcards
1
Q
Describe the two aims of education policies
A
- Equality: try and make things more equal
- Marketisation: to create competition to improve standards and give parents more choice
2
Q
Describe education before the 1870 Education Act
A
- A small number received a formal education which were public and grammar schools that educated the children of the rich and powerful
- Church and charity schools provided a short and basic education for a minority of the poor and most people received no formal education
3
Q
Describe the 1944 Education Act
A
- Introduced the tripartite system, where children were selected and allocated to 1 of 3 different types of secondary schools, supposedly according to their abilities which was identified in the 11+ exam
- Showing the beginning of meritocracy in education
4
Q
Describe grammar schools
A
- Intended for pupils defined as bright and academic who passed the 11+ exam
- Offered an academic curriculum and access to higher education
- Around 20% of secondary pupils attended
5
Q
Describe secondary modern schools
A
- These children were seen as less academic and more ‘practical’
- Offered a non-academic curriculum and access to manual jobs
- Around 80% of children left with no qualification
6
Q
Describe technical schools
A
- Emphasises vocational training and technical skills
- Few schools were built so there was little opportunity to attend
- Only 5% of secondary pupils attended technical schools
7
Q
Describe the effects of the tripartite system
A
- It reproduced class inequality by channelling social classes into different types of schools that offered unequal opportunities
- Reproduced gender inequality as girls had to obtain higher scores than boys in the 11+ exam to get a grammar school place
- Legitimised inequality through the idea that ability is innate, by measuring ability at 11 years old with the 11+ exam
8
Q
Describe the comprehensive system
A
- Introduced by Labour in 1965 and aimed to overcome class inequality as children from all abilities and from all backgrounds could attend.
- They all would be provided with the same opportunities
9
Q
Describe advantages of the comprehensive system
A
- They cater to children of all abilities so there’s no entrance exam, so no child is labelling as a ‘failure’, which was seen as fairer
- They’re cheaper to fund and run as they’re large schools that have more facilities available and more subject
10
Q
Describe disadvantages of the comprehensive system
A
- They were later labelled as ‘sink’ schools so people didn’t want to work or go there
- It was left to the local education authority (LEA) to ‘go comprehensive’ so the grammar-secondary modern divide still existed. However, a legislation later required all LEA’s to go comprehensive
11
Q
Describe the functionalist view of comprehensives
A
- Promotes social integration by brining children social classes to 1 school
- It’s more meritocratic as it gives pupils a long period to develop their abilities
12
Q
Describe the Marxist view of comprehensives
A
- They aren’t meritocratic but reproduce class inequality through labelling and streaming
- Justifies class inequality by making unequal achievement seem fair, as failure is the fault of the individual
