Marketisation Flashcards
marketisation of education
The marketisation of education refers to an educational policy trend pushed by the New Right which encouraged schools to compete against one another.
the 1988 education reform act
• Introduced a National Curriculum in England and Wales.
• Brought in a system of national assessment primarily through SATs at 7,11, 14 and 16. (League tables)
• Open enrolment gave parents the right to choose which school their children attended.
• Formula funding of schools meant that the funding a school received was based on the number of pupils it attracted.
• Vocational education initiatives
introduction of the national curriculum
The national curriculum required that all schools teach the same subject content from the age of 7-16. From 1988 all schools were required to teach the core subjects at GCSE level.
The logic behind league tables was that with all schools following the same curriculum it made it easier for parents to compare and choose between schools and GCSE and SATs meant every student, and more importantly, every school was assessed using the same type of exam.
1992 education act
•Further Education Colleges were made independent of LEA control (Incorporation)
• School Curriculum and Assessment Authority established to oversee the examination system
• The government could take over the running of failing schools.
Other changes included:
• Schools required by law to publish their exam results and truancy rates. (league tables)
• Regular inspection of schools by OFSTED with results made public.
Expansion of higher education but the reduction in student grants and their replacement with student loans.
• Schools allowed to specialise in technology, science etc.
how did marketisation policy’s increase competition between schools
•Open enrolment
• National testing
• ‘League tables’ containing data about SATs, GCSE and GCE results as well as truancy rates, have by law, to be published every year.
• The creation of different types of schools
open enrolment - David’s
- Open enrolement introduced by 1988 reeducation reform act
- This gave parents the right to choose which school their children attended enabling parents access to information about particular schools such as exam performance to allow them to choose the right school that suits their child.
- Davids view of parentocracy argues that the power shifts to the parents, consumers buy education from producers
Evaluation of open enrolment
Ball (myth of parentocracy) MC know better how to work the selection system —> creates class inequalities limiting choice and diversity
Formula funding
- the funding of a school received was based on the number of pupils it attracted
- schools increase standards/try to be more diverse so they are more likely to be picked and gain more funding
Evaluation of formula funding
Gerwitz study found that MC families that possses cultural and economic capital are more likely advantages when it comes to the opportunities that are avaliable to them
- popular schools: get more funds so they can afford better facilities and better qualified teachers therefore allowing them to be selective of high ability students.
- unpopular schools: lose income and find it difficult to find good teachers or create adequate facilities compared to other high-ranking schools making they don’t get adequate results to invite students.
- increases class inequality’s
Ofsted and league tables
- 1992 education act required all ofsted and league table results to be published to the public
- this gave an easy and quick way to compare performance of schools
Evaluation of ofsted and league tables
Ball & Whitby - schools which get better results attract more MC families, the demand drives up want for good grades which leads to schools becoming more selective
Types of schools - Academies
- Academies are state-funded schools that are funded directly by the government rather than by the local education authority.
- it moves the power into the hands of schools arguably increasing standards and giving better choice to parents
- Hall states academies are an example of handing over public services to private capitalists
Evaluation of academies
Molar argues this leads to a Cola-isation of schools with them becoming a popular way to endorse products and brands
eg vending machines on site loudly
Jackson - girls and marketisation
- have created a more competitive climate in which schools see girls as desirable recruits as they achieve better exam results
- introduction of league tables, ofsted etc has improved opportunities for girls: high achieving girls are attractive to schools whereas low achieving boys are not
- this creates a self fulfilling prophecy as girls are more likely to be recruited by good schools, as perceived as more likely to do well
Bartlett -Cream skimming
- Bartlett - Through cream-skimming, ‘good’ schools can afford to be more selective,
- These pupils gain an advantage. Good schools avoid takin on less able pupils who may get poor results and damage their league table position through silt-shifting.
- schools with poor league table positions cannot afford to be selective and take on less able students which are mainly working class, so their results remain poor and unattractive to middle class parents and this produces social class inequalities.
