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
