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
What is a first wave academy?
By New Labour- failing schools in working class areas funded by third party
What is a second wave academy ?
Coalition - outstanding schools had full control over their budget
What is the difference between 1st and 2nd wave academies ?
1st wave academies are schools which are failing so funded by third party whilst 2nd wave academies are outstanding schools which have full control over their budget
What is the advantages of academies?
Choose where to spend money- can save their money through catering and spend more on improving
Freedom.
What are the 2010 coalition policies ?
- free schools
- higher tuition fees
- The Public Premium- extra cash to schools for disadvantaged students
- removal of EMA
- new style of GCSE’s 1-9
- new style of A levels- linear, exam at end of Y13
- narrower curriculum
What is the general principle behind coalition policies ?
To reduce the role of the state in the provision of education through marketisation and privation
What are Free Schools ?
Schools funded by the state where they are set up and directed by parents and teachers
What are the disadvantages of Free Schools ?
They only benefit children from highly educated families- have knowledge and confidence MC.
Socially divisive
Lower standards
What is fragmentation within the school system ?
Comprehensive system being replaced by patchwork of diverse provision which leads to greater inequality.
Means there are many types of schools.
What is centralisation of control ?
Where the central government has power alone to allow schools to become academies/ allow free schools to be set up
what did the 2015 policies introduce ?
- 8% cut in education funding
- move to ebacc
- exams more difficult
- more free schools
- widespread academisation
- T levels
- more grammar schools
what are the types of privation according to Ball and Youdell ?
- endogenous
- exogenous
what is endogenous privation ?
privation within education system ( operating more like private business )
what is exogenous privation?
privation from outside education system. companies getting involved with day to day workings of school
examples of exogenous privation
- school inspections
- school services like staff training, development and building maintenance
what is the cola-isation of education
idea that big companies target education for profit
what are PFI schemes?
private finance initiative where private sector finances manage school buildings
what are tribal inspections responsible for ?
running school inspections on behalf of OFSTED. was stopped due to concerns over selection, training and quality of inspectors employed
advantages of exogenous privation ?
more choice for parents, profit motive encourage private companies to provide schools
disadvantages of exogenous privation ?
schools not having control to fix/improve schools
have to request- time consuming
pay interest on paying back
concerns over quality
what is globalisation ?
increased interconnectedness of societies so what happens in one locality is shaped by distant events in another
what is PISA? and how does it help ?
programme for international student assessment, countries like Brazil and Germany changed their education policy to improve ranking
how was the UK educational policies influenced?
longer school days and fewer holidays to match top performing East Asian nations
introduction of academies as schools independent from local authority control
examples of globalisation and education
- international comparison of grades PISA
- variety of schools
- increase immigration means English additional language students need more support
- British schools adapt to keep up with global economy
- global terrorism led to schools introducing programmes such as PREVENT to reduce risk of being groomed into terrorism
what does Ball say about globalisation and higher education ?
unis increasingly marketing themselves to global market as pay more in fees
what does Hancock say about globalisation and higher education ?
estimated educational exports from UK estimated £18 billion to UK economy each year
criticisms of globalisation
- doesn’t go far enough- UK curriculum still ethnocentric
- costly- implementing some initiates expensive and short lived
- international ranking systems focus on limited subject areas
- comparing ed system doesn’t take cultural differences into account
what are policies impacting social class ?
- 1944 tripartie system- WC underperform
- 1965 comprehensive education- inequalities bc catchment areas
- 1979 vocational education- WC directed lower paid jobs
- 1988 marketisation- MC more choice shop around
- 1997 student loans, tuition fees, league tables
what are policies impacting gender ?
- 1988 national curriculum
- coalition removal of coursework
these highlight gender gap
what are policies impacting ethnicity ?
1988 national curriculum
conservative govenerment policies impact on social class
- marketisation widens inequalities
- national curriculum= less value on vocational ed
- completion between schools= MC move into catchment areas
- better performing schools= more funding, gap widens
new labour policies impact on social class
- EMA and Sure Start- tackle material and cultural deprivation
- focus of raising WC boy’s aspirations
Coalition and Conservative policies impact on social class
- continuing marketisation= further inequalities
- EMA cut
- uni fees uncapped so can charge more
- narrower curriculum= benefits MC
conservative government policies impacting gender
- girls results improve due to national curriculum
- coursework intro, improving girls results
- GIST and WISE to get girls into science and tech
new labour policies impacting gender
- continuing coursework= girls performance increasing
- compensatory policies aimed at encouraging boys to improve literacy
coalition and conservative policies impact on gender
- reduction of coursework and emphasis on written exams- suits boys
conservative policies impacting ethnic groups
- increasing parental choice disadvantages some who are unable to play the system
new labour policies impact on ethnic groups
education action zones in inner cities with high proportion of ethnic minorities + academies raise standards of failing schools in poorer areas
coalition and conservative policies impact on ethnic groups
greater emphasis placed on marketisation- disadvantaging ethnic groups. less funding for poorer students
