The Conservatives 1979-97: Marketisation Policies Flashcards
What is Marketisation?
Operating like a business, made it subject to market forces such as ‘competition’ and ‘consumer choice’ as well as ‘Parentocracy’ (parents becoming customers).
What is Formula Funding?
Each student was worth a set amount of money instead of just a lump sum, encouraged schools to take more working-class pupils. MC manipulated system to their advantage.
What is Open Enrolment?
Parents can send their children to any school if there was space (as many as they could legally fit). Competition drove up standards, poor performing schools had to improve.
What are League Tables/OFSTED inspections?
Used to compare the performance of schools based on a teacher’s league table. Provided information to parents and caused schools to drive up standards in order to receive a good OFSTED report. Ended up as too much focus on test results. Also, league tables allow ‘cream-skimming’ and ‘silt-shifting’.
What is the National Curriculum?
The Government decided what was to be taught in school, measured progress between schools/ensured consistency in core subjects. Restricted subject choices: ‘curriculum of the dead’. (Ball).
What was the result of Marketisation Policies?
Schools became oversubscribed, became impossible for the WC to live by good schools due to catchment areas.
What does Gewirtz argue?
Built off of Bourdieu’s ideas. Middle class parents use their cultural and economic capital to take advantage of parental choice. Parentocracy only for the MC.
What did New Vocationalism aim to do?
Aimed to prepare pupils for the world of work. Introduced YTS, NVQs, GNVQs, apprenticeships, to help Britain’s economic growth.
Evaluation of New Vocationalism?
Skills only taught to prepare people for low-paid jobs, the working class were encouraged to follow these. Designed to keep unemployment figures down.
