Topic 6 - Educational Policy* Flashcards
1
Q
The Tripartite System [2]
Advantage + Disadvantage
A
- Introduced in 1944, had two main types of secondary school (grammar and secondary modern) with selection by the 11+ exam
- Most m/c pupils attended the grammar school, whereas most w/c attended the secondary modern.
Adv: Resources could be better targetted
Disadv: Biased in favour of m/c
2
Q
The Comprehensive System [1]
Advantage + Disadvantage
A
- Introduced in 1965, abolished the 11+ and all pupils attended the same local comprehensive school.
Adv: Opportunities to achieve open throughout school career
Disadv: High flyers held back + poor discipline common
3
Q
What is Marketisation?
A
Increasing the amount of competition between schools in the British education system
4
Q
Examples of marketisation in schools [5]
A
- League Tables
- OFSTED
- Parentocracy
- 1988 Education Act
- Funding formula
5
Q
Evaluation of marketisation [4]
A
- Ball: M/C parents are ‘skilled choosers’ able to use economic capital and social networks to decide adequate schools
- W/C parents = ‘disconnected choosers’ - no real choice, have to send children to local schools
- Schools place more effort into those who will achieve A-C grades - others are labeled as hopeless
- ‘Cream-skimming’ only choosing the best
6
Q
How have league tables led to inequality? [2]
A
- Ensure schools w/ good results are in more demand, because parents are attracted to good league table rankings -> allows schools to be more selective & recruit high achieving, mainly m/c pupils
- As a result, m/c get best education -> inequalities are reproduced.
7
Q
How has the funding formula led to inequalities? [2]
A
- Funding is determined by pupil numbers -> more popular a school is, the higher their funding. These schools can afford to attract better-qualified teachers and better facilities.
- Unpopular schools lose income + find it difficult to match the teacher skills + facilities.
8
Q
New Labour Educational Policies (1997-2010) [4]
A
- 1998 Educational action zones: Schools in deprived areas given extra funding + teachers paid more to work there
- Curriculum 2000: Modular curriculum allowing candidates to take modules rather than one final exam
- 2003 Aim Higher: Schools established partnerships + encouraged underprivileged to enter HE
- 2004 EMA: 6th Form students £30/week on low income if they attended all their lessons
9
Q
Coalition government Policies 2010-15 [4]
A
- Pupil Premium: Additional funding given to pupils registered with FSMs
- Curriculum: Modular exams scrapped + replaced with exams at end of courses
- Academies: schools became linked together through academy chains, funding given directly
- Free Schools: Schools run by parents, don’t have to follow national curriculum
10
Q
The privatisation of education [5]
A
Education services - Ball calls the transfer of schools to private companies as a source of profit. - Companies can make 10x the profit as they do on other contracts. Examples include: • Building schools • Providing supply teachers • Work-based learning • Careers advice • Ofsted
11
Q
How has the education system become globalised? [3]
A
- Performance rankings, allowing for International comparison between education systems - PISA rankings & TIMSS
- Governments look to other education systems to improve their own
- Many private companies in the education services industry are foreign-owned e.g. Edexcel is owned by an American company
12
Q
Examples of globalisation policies in education + Criticisms [4]
A
- Variety of schools - free schools [Scandinavian], academies
- Skills for a global marketplace- national literacy and numeracy strategy
- Raising standards for teachers
- University entrance for overseas students
- Doesn’t recognize cultural differences between education
- Limited range of subjects monitored
- Validity and reliability of testing is questionable
13
Q
Gender policies [3]
A
- In the 19th century females were largely excluded from education
- 1944 11+ girls had to get a higher mark to pass!
- Since the 1970’s policies such as GIST/Wise have been introduced
14
Q
Ethnicity policies [2] + Criticism
A
- Assimilation in the 1960’s and 70’s policies focused on children from minority ethnic backgrounds fitting into mainstream British culture e.g. compensatory education
- Multicultural education policies in the 1980’s and 90’s aimed to promote the achievements of children from minority ethnic groups by valuing all cultures in the school curriculum with the aim of raising their self-esteem and achievements.
Criticism:
MCE can be argued to be tokenism as it uses stereotypical features for inclusion
15
Q
What did the New Labour Government introduce in response to low PISA rankings?
A
- National Literacy & Numeracy Hour
