history of the british education system Flashcards
waves of education policy
1944 tripartite system
1965 comprehensive system
the new right and 1988 education act
1997 new labour’s policies
2010 the coalition’s policies
1870
The 1870 education act - state committed to paying for school for children up til 10
primary schools built
provide basic education
1880
primary education up to the age of 10 was made compulsory
1889
1918
school leaving age raised to 12
school leaving age 14 - curriculum widened
criticisms of pre-1944
quality of schooling varied between schools - no equality / meritocracy
type of school one went was dependent on class background
1944
the butler act
after wwII - social democratic view
ensure everyone has a decent quality of life
equal opportunity for education - grammar schools now free
11+ exam for tripartite system - meritocracy
tripartite system
grammar schools - top 20% - academic education and sat GCSEs
technical schools - 5% - vocational education eg engineering
secondary modern schools - 75% - non-academic
evaluations of the butler act
- secondary moderns seen as inferior
- class inequality persisted - 2/3rd of grammar school places went to middle class children
- gender inequality persisted - girls required higher mark due to maturing faster
- 11+ determined next five years of life
1965
comprehensive system
11+ abolished - comprehensive schools - under control of local education authorities
very limited choice of school - send to local neighbourhood - some had no choice
comprehensive act strengths
equality of opportunity - all can be entered for O levels
parity of esteem - attend same type of school with same amount of money spent on them
breaking down class barriers
comprehensive act limitations
class inequalities reproduced under one roof - band system with m/c in upper bands
limited choice in schools
too many schools providing a low standard of education
1970s
progressive education - guided discovery
‘child centred’ - based on liberal principles
eg Summerhill school
progressive education strengths
post modernism - individuals - identities
marxism - not taught to obey the ruling class
progressive education limitations
functionalism - doesn’t pass on value consensus so produces anomie
less academic - disadvantaged in working world
1976 - mid 1980s
great debate of education and new vocationalism
1972 - leaving age - 16
general decline in standards so great debate
- contribute to improving the state of economy through training courses - new vocationalism
- raise overall standards
