Policies to Improve Equality of Opportunity in Access to Education

Question 1

Tripartite System- What is it?

Answer 1

1944 Education Act- 3 types of secondary school
Grammar, technical, and secondary modern

Question 2

Tripartite System- Allocation of School

Answer 2

11+ exam- at 11 children took Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test, 15-20% with best scores went to grammar schools, most others went to secondary moderns, very few technical schools

Question 3

Tripartite System- Criticisms

Answer 3

11+ exam unfair and unreliable- disadvantaged w/c children, leading to poor self esteem (secondary moderns seen as inferior)
1960s+70s- Secondary moderns wasted potential, talent, and ability of many children

Question 4

Comprehensive Schools

Answer 4

Abolished 11+ exam, and 3 types of schools
Nearly all young people attend comprehensives, only 164 state funded grammar schools
Don’t formally select for pupils
School Admissions Code bars selection by ability (evidence for hidden + covert selection still)