The History of Education Flashcards
How did the Tripartite System begin?
The government passed a law in 1944 (The Butler Act), which created a new school system designed to help support children based on potential rather than social class.
What were the schools that made up the Tripartite System and how were students allocated to them?
- grammar
- secondary modern
- technicals
- sorted by 11+ exam
What did the Tripartite System do?
It divided primary and secondary schools, and ensured that secondary school was free for everyone.
What did grammar schools offer?
They offered academic curriculums and access to non-manual jobs and higher education.
What did secondary modern schools offer?
They offered non-academic, ‘practical’ curriculums and access to manual work.
Who passed the 11+ exam?
MC students, so they went to grammar schools; WC students failed, so went to secondary moderns.
What are some criticisms of The Butler Act?
- it reproduced the class divide
- legitimises class divide
- gender divide remained
- technicals were rare
What did the Comprehensive System (1968) aim to do?
This system aimed to abolish the 11+, grammar and secondary modern schools, which comprehensive schools replacing them. However, grammar schools were given the choice of whether or not to change; they refused, so the 11+ remained.
What is a Marxist criticism of the Comprehensive System?
‘The myth of meritocracy’ legitimises class inequality.
What did Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative government want to do?
- raise standards of schools
- ensure all children were taught the same content
- increase the level of knowledge children left school with
What did the Conservative government create?
- national curriculum
- OFSTED
- league tables
What did Gerwitz say about parental choice?
She identified 3 main types of parents:
1. privileged-skilled choosers
2. disconnected-local choosers
3. semi-skilled choosers
Who were the skilled choosers?
(Gerwitz?
Middle class; have cultural and material capital, motivated to choose; know headmasters and can afford to move= kids go to the best schools
Who were the semi-skilled choosers?
(Gerwitz)
Less middle class; lack cultural and material capital, motivated to choose; can’t afford to move= kids less likely to go to best schools
Who were the disconnected choosers?
(Gerwitz)
Working class; lack cultural and material capital, don’t see the point in choosing; not interested in system, can’t move= kids go to local schools
What is the marketisation of education?
- application of market forces to the education system
- promoting more choice in the type of education students receive
- promoting competition between schools for students; raising standards
What did the Education Reform Act 1988 consist of and who made it?
This act was created by the conservative government and introduced open enrolment, national curriculum, standardised testing, formula funding, league tables and new universities.
What did the New Labour government introduce?
The introduction of city academies in 2000 resulted in the growth of specialist schools, faith schools and tuition fees.
What did the Coalition government introduce?
- expansion of academies
- pupil premium
- reform to curriculum
- progress 8
- free schools
- increased tuition fees
What are the impacts of marketisation?
- increased choice of schools
- more private investment
- increased uni attendance
- improvements in GCSE and A-level pass rates
What are the criticisms of marketisation?
- ‘myth of parentocracy’
- selective rather than open enrolment
- teaching the test
- educational triage
What is an educational policy?
This is a term given to a government initiative or social policy that has the direct purpose of changing education.
How did the comprehensive system reduce social class inequalities?
-banned selection by ability
- students educated on a ‘one size fits all’ basis
However:
- setting, streaming and banding
How did the Education Reform Act reduce social class inequalities?
- new universities to improve equality of access
How did the New Labour government reduce social class inequalities?
- creation of Sure Start; tackles gaps in development for pupils in areas of deprivation
- Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA); £30 a week given to students in low-income households to continue in education post-16
- city academies- independently publicly funded schools in inner-city areas; formed from failing schools
- reduced class sizes
- school building programme
- raising school leaving age to 18
How did the Coalition government reduce social class inequalities?
- pupil premium; additional funding given to schools with students from homes in areas of deprivation
- universal free school meals; up to age 7 in all schools
How effective was the Tripartite System?
- grammar schools were dominated by middle class students
How effective was the Comprehensive System?
- setting and streaming led to inequality between the lower and higher sets
How effective was Sure Start?
- used by more affluent parents
- cuts to services in 2010 mean they are only in the most deprived areas
How effective was EMA?
- removed by Coalition in 2010 when the school leaving age increased
How effective was the expansion of universities?
- academic inflation
- large student debts
What were some globalisation education policies?
- variety of schools
- skills for global marketplace
- additional funding for maths and science
- raising standards for teachers
What were the impacts of globalisation on education?
- changes to learning and teaching strategies
- changes to curriculum
- multiculturalism
What were the criticisms of globalisation on education?
- limited subjects monitored
- cultural differences between nations
- validity and reliability of testing
- expensive and often short-lived policies
How has technology changed education?
- websites= educational resources online; accessible to all
- google, microsoft, apple are all interested in the education sector= teams, google classrooms
How has education changed economically?
- global competition for jobs shapes curriculum
- 2008 crash= elite overproduction; too many people go to university and don’t get graduate jobs
How has education changed politically?
- economic crash of 2008 led to populism; Trump, Brexit
- international rankings; PISA= raise standards, narrow curriculum
How has education changed culturally?
- lack of access to culture because of deprivation; fewer school trips
How has migration changed education?
- multiculturalism; some efforts to end the ethnocentric curriculum
- expands people’s horizons
- international students prop up British unis financially but there is increased competition from international unis for the best students
