League Tables Flashcards
What policy introduced league tables?
1988 Education Reform Act introduced the policy of league tables.
What are league tables?
League tables rank and compare educational institutions on academic performance such as student progress and academic achievement.
Where can parents find league tables?
League tables can be accessed by parents online in the media and within newspapers.
How do league tables increase diversity and choice?
League tables create diversity and choice by providing this clear and accessible information as it allows parents to make informed decisions regarding which school they would like to send their child too.
What do league tables encourage schools to do?
The introduction of league tables has led to schools being incentivised to drive up their standards and cater to a broader range of needs which encourages diversity.
What do league tables allow parents to do?
Parents are able to choose a school for their child which best aligns with their needs, therefore they can perform to the best of their academic ability.
Who has criticised league tables?
Sociologist Bartlett
What did sociologist Bartlett suggest?
League tables have reinforced existing class inequalities within education and encouraged processes of cream skimming and silt shifting.
What is cream skimming?
Cream skimming refers to when schools select the best performing students to enrol, typically white middle class pupils, which will help to improve their position on the league table.
What is silt shifting?
Silt shifting refers to when schools avoid enrolling poorly performing students as they may bring down their position on the league tables, typically these pupils are black, and from a working class background.
