NEW RIGHT Flashcards
new right view of education
Similar beliefs to the functionalists but believe that the state takes
too much of a role and the free market policies (marketisation)would raise standards. Schools should compete with one another and parents and
pupils should be seen as consumers
John Chubb and Terry Moe (New Right, consumer choice)
They argue that state-run education in the United States has failed because: it has not created equal opportunity and has failed the needs of disadvantaged groups, it is inefficient because it fails to product pupils with the skills needed by the economy, and private schools deliver higher quality education because they are answerable to paying consumers (unlike with state schools).
what were chubb and moes findings
- a comparison of the achievements of 60,000 pupils from low-income families in 1,015 state and private high schools
- together with the findings of a parent survey and case studies of ‘failing’ schools apparently being ‘turned around’.
- Their evidence shows that pupils from low-income families consistently do about 5% better in private than in state schools.
what did chubb and moe call for
- the introduction of a market system in state education that would put control in the hands of the consumers (parents and local communities).
- They argue that this would allow consumers to shape schools to meet their own needs and would improve quality and efficiency.
- To introduce a market into state education, they proposed a system in which each family would be given a voucher to spend on buying education from a school of their choice.
this meant that schools became
- This would force schools to become more responsive to parents’ wishes, since the vouchers would be the school’s main source of income.
- Like private businesses, schools would have to compete to attract ‘customers’ by improving their ‘product’.
- These principles are already at work in the private education sector, educational standards overall however would be greatly improved by introducing the same market forces in the state sector.
education reform act 1988
Ofsted - When John Major replaced Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister, he called for reform of the school inspection system to improve educational standards across the UK. Ofsted was born from that call. Ofsted is an abbreviation for the Office for Education Standards, Children’s Services and Skills.
League tables - These tables allowed British schools to be directly compared, thus increasing competition. A secondary school would be deemed to be underperforming if less than 40% of students attain five A*-C GCSEs. By treating parents as consumers and providing them with more information, the Conservative government hoped they would make more informed choices and enrol their children in only the best-performing schools.
Funding formula - Since 1988, schools have received funding for the number of students in enrolment, known as formula funding. Under-subscribed schools would close over time as they could not raise the adequate amount of capital to remain open.
Roles of the state
The new right view argues the state has two roles, these are.
-The states has a framework on schools which makes them compete. For example publishing Ofsted inspection reports and league tables.
-The state masks sure schools pass a shared culture by imposing a single National Curriculum.
Multicultural education
- They believe that education should emphasise Britain positive role in world history and teach British literature, and there should be Christian act of worship in school each day so children integrate pupils into a single set of traditions and cultural values and they oppose multicultural education.
One size fits all
- The new right believe the state education takes a one size fits all and not considering the needs of different places and consumers (teachers, pupils, and employers) have no say do state schools are inefficient
Marketisation of education
Schools that get poor results are not answerable to consumers so they don’t have to improve the schools grades which means lower standards of achievement for pupils, less qualified teachers and the economy decreases. The new right suggest the marketisation of education. They believe competition between schools will increase schools ability to meets the needs of pupils.
Eval (Sharon Gerwirtz and Stephan Ball)
- They both argued that competition between schools benefits the middle class who can use their cultural and economic capital to gain access to more desirable schools.
eva (marxists)
- Marxist argue education does not impose a shared national culture, but a culture of the ruling class and devaluates the culture of the working class and ethnic minorities.
Eva parental choice
The New right want more parental choice, but want to impose a compulsory national curriculum on every school.
