Educational policy in Britian before 1988 Flashcards
Describe the impact of industrialisation on education in the late 19th century.
Industrialisation increased the need for an educated workforce, leading the state to become more involved in education and making schooling compulsory for children aged 5 to 13 in 1880.
Explain the concept of meritocracy as it relates to education.
Meritocracy is the idea that individuals should achieve their status in life based on their own efforts and abilities, rather than their class background.
Define the tripartite system introduced by the 1944 Education Act.
The tripartite system was a framework where children were selected and allocated to one of three types of secondary schools based on their aptitudes and abilities, identified through the 11+ exam.
How did the comprehensive school system differ from the tripartite system?
The comprehensive school system, introduced from 1965, aimed to overcome the class divide of the tripartite system and promote a more meritocratic approach to education.
Do you know the age range for compulsory schooling established in 1880?
Compulsory schooling was established for children aged 5 to 13 in 1880.
Explain the purpose of the 11+ exam in the context of the tripartite system.
The 11+ exam was used to identify children’s aptitudes and abilities to determine their allocation to one of the three types of secondary schools in the tripartite system.
Describe the main change proposed regarding the 11+ examination and school types in the education system.
The 11+ examination was to be abolished along with grammar schools and secondary moderns, to be replaced by comprehensive schools that all pupils in the area would attend.
Explain the role of local education authorities in the transition to comprehensive schools.
Local education authorities were given the decision-making power to ‘go comprehensive’, leading to some areas maintaining the grammar-secondary modern divide.
Define the contrasting views of functionalists and Marxists on the role of education.
Functionalists view education as fulfilling essential functions like social integration and meritocratic selection, while Marxists see it as serving capitalism by reproducing and legitimating class inequality.
How do functionalists perceive the impact of comprehensive schools on social integration?
Functionalists argue that comprehensive schools promote social integration by bringing together children from different social classes.
Discuss the findings of Julienne Ford’s 1969 study regarding social mixing in comprehensive schools.
Julienne Ford’s study found little social mixing between working-class and middle-class pupils in comprehensive schools, largely due to streaming.
Explain the implications of the grammar-secondary modern divide in education.
The grammar-secondary modern divide implies that not all students have equal access to educational opportunities, which can perpetuate class inequalities.
Describe the functionalist perspective on comprehensive education.
Functionalists view comprehensive education as more meritocratic because it allows students a longer period to develop and demonstrate their abilities, unlike the tripartite system that selects students at age 11.
Explain the Marxist critique of comprehensive education.
Marxists argue that comprehensive schools are not truly meritocratic; instead, they perpetuate class inequality through practices like streaming and labeling, which deny equal opportunities to working-class children.
How do comprehensive schools create the appearance of equal opportunities?
By not selecting children at age 11, comprehensive schools may seem to offer equal chances to all students, which can mask underlying inequalities.
