social policy - CONSERVATIVE

Question 1

what is the history of school leaving age?

Answer 1

• 1870 compulsory education up to the age of 10 (foresters act)
• aimed to teach WC basic numeracy, literacy and biblical knowledge
• 1898 raised to 12
• 1918 raised to 14
• 1944 raised to 15
• 1975 raised to 16
• 2014 raised to 18

Question 2

what was the Butler act (1944 education act?)

Answer 2

• concerns over wasted potential talent, particularly amongst working class children
• reorganisation of the whole education system
• aimed to reduce inequality

Question 3

what is the tripartite system?

Answer 3

• introduced 3 types of schools
• grammar school (11+), technical schools and secondary modern
• intended to provide separate but equal types of schooling

Question 4

what is the 11+ ?

Answer 4

• intelligence test
• pupils sent to a school suited to their ability
• grammar schools for the brightest children

Question 5

selection for schools
(%)

Answer 5

• technical schools for children with an aptitude for technical subjects
• the rest went to secondary modern - no exams - just basic education
• 20% of children went to grammar schools
• 5% went to technical schools
• 75% went to secondary modern schools (mostly WC)

Question 6

what were the problems with the tripartite system?

Answer 6

• 11+was unreliable
• the selection was unfair
• no parity of esteem as grammar schools were seen as superior
• few technical schools were ever introduced
• 75% of children being failed at 11
• labelling and self fulfilling prophecy
• increased social class divisions
• system was unfair to girls as they had to have higher grades

Question 7

what was the comprehensive act (1965) ?

Answer 7

introduced the merging of grammar and secondary modern schools to create mixed ability schools to have a more mixed set of students

Question 8

what was the comprehensive system?

Answer 8

• introduced by labour government in 1965
• three types of schools made into one
• improved educational standards of children from lower classes
• by may 1979 80% of schools were comps
• results showed some success

Question 9

what were the problems with comprehensive schools?

Answer 9

• social class divisions remained as many WC children still failing
• catchment areas meant that deprived areas and affluent areas produced different results
• comprehensives remained single class schools
• streaming and setting meant a disproportionate number of WC children placed in lower sets

Question 10

what was the UK like before Mrs Thatcher came to power in 1979?

Answer 10

• lots of social unrest
• high unemployment
• argued schools were failing their pupils
• she introduced social policies to make schools competitive

Question 11

what is the marketisation of education?

Answer 11

• marketisation has become a central theme in education
• reduction on government control of education
• introduce competition in an educational marketplace which means schools now act like businesses
• parentocracy gives parents more choice of schools
• gives schools an incentive to improve which raises standards
• unsuccessful schools will close
• later governments have continued with these policies

Question 12

what is parentocracy?

Answer 12

• gives parents more power
• schools are providers whilst parents are consumers
• parents are given more information with OFSTED reports and league tables
• makes schools more competitive which raises standards

Question 13

what was included in the:

1988 education reform act (ERA)

Answer 13

grant maintained schools - opt out of the local education authority

open enrolment - allowing successful schools to recruit more pupils

national curriculum - 5 to 16 years all students study the same subjects

standardisation - everyone sits GCSEs

testing - SATs for primary schools

formula funding - schools receive money for each pupil ‘bums on seats’

OFSTED - made reports puplic

Question 14

what does GERWITZ say are the factors of being a:

middle class privilege - skilled chooser

Answer 14

• more advantaged
• more cultural capital
• understand the importance of education
• know admissions policies
• more economic capital
• can move to better catchment areas
• not limited by cost of travel

Question 15

what does GERWITZ say are the factors of being a:

working class disconnected local chooser

Answer 15

• restricted by economic and cultural capital
• don’t understand the admissions as procedures as well
• less confident when dealing with schools
• less aware of choices available
• distance and cost of travel restricts school choice

Question 16

what are the problems with the league tables?

Answer 16

• exam results are published in leauge tables
• this puts pressure on schools to get good results
• schools become more selective
• cream skimming is when good schools can choose the best pupils
• silt shifting is when schools avoid pupils who are likely to get poor results

Question 17

what are the problems with formula funding?

Answer 17

• popular schools get more money
• they then can afford better qualified teachers and facilities
• unpopular schools have their funding reduced

Question 18

evaluation of marketisation

BALL AND GERWIRTZ

Answer 18

• BALL AND GERWIRTZ say league tables are created so schools can attract the best pupils
• money was being spent on marketing / PR
• schools no longer cooperate with each other
• schools concerned about their image

Question 19

what was new vocationalism and what were the policies brought in?

Answer 19

late 1970s ‘new vocationalism’ policies were introduced to address issues such as:

  - high unemployment 

  - declining economy
 
  - concerns about 
  education failing to 
  produce a skilled 
  workforce 

policies:

  - youth training scenes 
  (YTSs)

  - vocational 
  qualifications (GNVQs)