introduction to education- general patterns and trends

Question 1

What is a faith school?

Answer 1

A school that teaches a general curriculum but with a particular religious character or having formal links with a religious organisation. Introduced in 2004 by New Labour.

Question 2

What is a grammar school?

Answer 2

A secondary school, which you need to pass the 11+ to go to (selective by ability).

Question 3

What is a Church school?

Answer 3

A school which is committed to Christian beliefs.

Question 4

What is a private school?

Answer 4

A fee paying school that may or may not follow the national curriculum.

Question 5

What is an academy?

Answer 5

These primary and secondary schools are directly funded by central government but not controlled by local government. Schools can decide how to spend their own budget and can make more of their own decisions e.g. about opening hours. They may receive additional financial support from sponsors.

Question 6

What is a specialist school?

Answer 6

Schools which focus on certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. Government gave extra funding to help schools improve their chosen subject. Started in 1994 but ended by new Coalition government in May 2010.

Question 7

What is higher eduction?

Answer 7

Undergraduate, postgraduate level education (universities)

Question 8

What is a comprehensive school?

Answer 8

A state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. First began in 1946 but expanded and much more common from 1965. Many have now converted to academies.

Question 9

What is a selective school?

Answer 9

A school which as some specific form of entry criteria. May be based on academic ability (grammar) or another talent e.g. musical or sporting ability.

Question 10

What is vocational education?

Answer 10

Education based on occupation or employment e.g. BTEC in catering or NVQ in hairdressing.

Question 11

What is a free school?

Answer 11

A school in England funded by taxpayers, which is free to attend, but not controlled by a local authority.
Often set up by local parents or another community group.
They have more decision-making power than traditional secondar schools e.g. not bound by the National Curriculum.
However, they still do face Ofsted inspections.

Question 12

What is further education?

Answer 12

Educational provision for 16-18 year old. Includes both academic courses (A-levels) and those doing vocational courses.

Question 13

How is education the most influential system in society?

Answer 13

-It takes individuals from age 4, for 6+ hours a day, over a period of at least 12/13 years. It bombards them with a vast amount of knowledge, attitudes and skills.
-Most pupils spend 17,000 hours in school.
-Hidden Curriculum

Question 14

What is the hidden curriculum?

Answer 14

The hidden curriculum refers to those norms and values which are taught indirectly and are part and parcel of the organisation and routines of the school.

Question 15

What are examples of the hidden curriculum?

Answer 15

-Respecting hierarchy and authority
-Punctuality
-Wearing a uniform
-Respect for others’ opinions
-Aspiring to achieve
-Having a work ethic
-Consent to being surveilled
-Restraint
-Attendance
-Socialising with others
-Taking responsibility

Question 16

What is the importance of the school ethos?

Answer 16

The ‘school ethos’ refers to the character, atmosphere, or ‘climate of the school’. It is a phrase that you will hear headmasters use to describe their school to parents and the attitudes expected of pupils. It is a very similar to the concept of the hidden curriculum, as many of the norms that fall into the ‘ethos’ of school are also those which are regarded as taught through the hidden curriculum by sociological observers.

Question 17

What was the ‘Every Child Matters’ policy (2004-2010)?

Answer 17

November 2004: DfES released ECM released a national framework where local authorities were required to work with other agencies to ensure that children would get the support they need to:​
Be Healthy​
Stay Safe​
Enjoy and Achieve​
Make a Positive Contribution​
Achieve Economic Wellbeing​

Question 18

What is a metocracy?

Answer 18

A social system, society, or organization in which people get success or power because of their abilities, not because of their money or social position.

Question 19

What is the middle class?

Answer 19

-non-manual occupations
-includes professionals, such as doctors or teachers
-managers, white-coloured office workers and business owners

Question 20

What is the working class?

Answer 20

-manual occupations
-skilled workers e.g. plumbers
-semi-skilled workers e.g. lorry drivers
-unskilled or routine workers e.g. cleaners

Question 21

When children from lower working-class backgrounds have been compared to middle-class children of the same ability, it has been found that:​

Answer 21

-More likely to start school unable to read
-Do less well in tests like SATs
-Less likely to get places in the best state schools
-More likely to be placed in lower streams
-Generally get poorer exam results
-More likely to leave school at the minimum age
-More likely to undertake vocational or training courses than stay in education
-Less likely to pursue higher education (university)

Question 22

Why is FSM used as a measure?

Answer 22

The Department of Education no longer produces data on social class, instead it looks at free school meals. These are available to children whose parents receive one or more benefits. FSMs does not include all disadvantaged children.

Question 23

What are the patterns for FSM students in education?

Answer 23

-Percentage difference between non-FSM and FSM students passing 5 or more GCSEs has steadily decreased between 2005 an 2013
2005/6- 28%
2012/13- 16%

-Those that were on FSM mostly earn below living wage at 25, whereas non-FSM mostly earn above living wage

Question 24

FSM statistics

Answer 24

60% of individuals who were eligible for free school meals in year 11 were in sustained employment at age 27, compared to 77% of their peers who were not eligible for FSM. Therefore, FSM-eligible pupils were 23% less likely to be in sustained employment aged 27 when compared to their peers who were not eligible for FSM.

• 24% of individuals who were eligible for FSM in year 11 were on out-of-work benefits at age 27, compared to 8% of their peers who were not eligible for FSM. Therefore, pupils who were eligible for FSM in year 11 were 3.0 times more likely to be on out-of-work benefits aged 27 when compared to their peers who were not eligible for FSM

Question 25

How accurate is FSM as a measure for educational attainment?

Answer 25

-Only captures the disadvantaged that claim free school meals
-2007- 22% of FSM children’s have incomes above £200 a week+20% of non-FSM children have weekly incomes below £200 a week
-FSM children will not necessary be the poorest in school as income support pushes FSM families income
-Non-FSM group is not homogeneous (Becky Allen)- FSM is a binary yes/no measure- non-FSM groups together families in the threshold of poverty and six figure earning families