Social Policy Flashcards
Left wing
Think education unequal. Wanted equality. Social democratic perspectives
Right wing
Think education is fair. Wants it traditional. Neoliberal perspectives
Term: social democratic perspectives
Like to see greater equality in education. Should provide equality regardless of metriocracy. Usually labour
Term: neoliberal perspective
Favor of private businesses and free market because believe competition improves standards. Usually conservative
What was the 1944 Butter Education Act?
Tripartite System= 3 types of secondary school sorted into by doing 11 plus exam
1). Pass= grammar school- bio, chem, lit
2). Fail= secondary modern- clean, iron
3). Fail but excel in technical= technical- engineering
What was the 1965 compensatory education?
Where all students regardless of academic ability attended the same type of school, everyone in the catchment area will go to the school. Geographically selected students.
Problems with 1965 comprehensive education policy
Many comprehensives have catchment areas dominated to one class of people so wasn’t much mixing. Middle class students still did better than working class. Setting and streaming still existed
Advantage of 1965 comprehensive education
Enables all to get same education, bridge class differences
Evaluation of 1965 comprehensive education
Hargreaves 1967 claimed that inequality hadn’t disappeared it was just under one roof
Advantages of the butler education act
Education catered to the students ability
Disadvantages of the butler education act
- middle class pay for child to get support for 11 plus
- not many technical schools built
- conflict between MC and WC
- students saw themselves as failures if didn’t get into grammar schools
- economic problems- decline of uni applicants- lack of academic skilled workforce
- 11 plus questions culturally biased favouring MC
What is the 1979 policy
Vocational education
What did the 1979 policy do?
Introduced qualifications for working life in schools (vocational education) and completed in work places (vocational training)
Cohen 1979
Real purpose of vocational training is to create ‘cheap labour’ for employers
Who hated vocational education and why ?
Marxist- bc it paid them less, cheap labour
Finn 1979
Vocational schemes had hidden policitcal agendas:
- used to cover up embarrassing unemployment stats
- undermines power of trade unions
- was intended to help reduce crime by getting young people off the streets
Which sociologists criticised the 1979 polic?
Cohen and Finn
What is the 1988 policy?
Education Reform Act
What did the 1988 policy do ?
Introduced competition in schools to improve quality-
Government changed way schools funded- formula funding. Had to attract more students so had to get better grades. League tables and OFSTED introduced for parents to compare
What did marketisation create ? + what is it ?
Parentocracy- an education system based on parents having free choice of school
Ball
Parentocracy is a myth- not all parents have freedom to choose which school to send their children to
Gerwitz
Middle class parents have more economic capital so bettere able to take advantage for decisions
Leech and compas
Afford to move to good catchment area
What is the 1997 policy ?
New Labour policy- The Third Way ( left + right wing)
How did the 1997 policy decrease inequality?
- extra reasources in disadvantage areas to help overcome disadvantage
- new schools- academies ensure no child ed in ineffective school
- compensatory education schemes
- rising of school leave to 18
- EMA- ed maintenance allowance
- specialist schools- additional funding
How did the 1997 policy NOT decrease inequality ?
- schools specialises in 1 of 10 areas and select up to 10% of pupils. Increases choice
- league tables used + more details published
- provided education, training, vocational work for unemployed young- prevents joining long term unem
- NVQ’s into vocational GCSE and A Levels to improve status of vocational qualification
- tuition fees
- failure to scrap private education