introduction to education- general patterns and trends Flashcards
What is a faith school?
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.
What is a grammar school?
A secondary school, which you need to pass the 11+ to go to (selective by ability).
What is a Church school?
A school which is committed to Christian beliefs.
What is a private school?
A fee paying school that may or may not follow the national curriculum.
What is an academy?
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.
What is a specialist school?
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.
What is higher eduction?
Undergraduate, postgraduate level education (universities)
What is a comprehensive school?
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.
What is a selective school?
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.
What is vocational education?
Education based on occupation or employment e.g. BTEC in catering or NVQ in hairdressing.
What is a free school?
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.
What is further education?
Educational provision for 16-18 year old. Includes both academic courses (A-levels) and those doing vocational courses.
How is education the most influential system in society?
-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
What is the hidden curriculum?
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.
What are examples of the hidden curriculum?
-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
What is the importance of the school ethos?
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.
What was the ‘Every Child Matters’ policy (2004-2010)?
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
What is a metocracy?
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.
What is the middle class?
-non-manual occupations
-includes professionals, such as doctors or teachers
-managers, white-coloured office workers and business owners
What is the working class?
-manual occupations
-skilled workers e.g. plumbers
-semi-skilled workers e.g. lorry drivers
-unskilled or routine workers e.g. cleaners
When children from lower working-class backgrounds have been compared to middle-class children of the same ability, it has been found that:
-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)
Why is FSM used as a measure?
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.
What are the patterns for FSM students in education?
-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
FSM statistics
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
How accurate is FSM as a measure for educational attainment?
-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
