EVALUATIONS

• There is greater diversity and choice of schools.

  • Academies
  • Specialist schools
• There is a greater variety of subjects to study.

  • A/S and A levels
  • Vocational courses
• The overall standard of education did rise

  • More students than ever before achieved five grade A*-C GCSEs, and more students than ever before entered further and higher education.
  • SAT scores are higher than before they came to power.
• improved the equality of opportunity more than the New Right/Conservatives, although the ‘attainment gap’ between middle class and working class pupils remained high.

  • Cream-skimming; selection by mortgage.
  • Specialist schools were extremely successful in raising standards, but only because they mostly recruited middle class students.
• Believed educational issues were the result of poor educational processes within schools, rather than social issues such as poverty and inequality; New Labour simply continued the ideas of the Conservative government before them.
• Although popular among parents, Sure Start improved the health of young children, but not their education.
• Educational Action Zones were considered a failure and ended by 2003, five years after first being introduced.

  • Aimed to attract £250,000 per zone; on average, they attracted £41,000 per zone
• Ball (2017) suggests the middle class benefitted from New Labour policies as their economic and cultural capital allows them to identify and choose the best schools, while the working class cannot.
• The introduction of university fees may deter working class people from attending Higher Education.
• Academies do not have to follow the National Curriculum, and as they are funded by local business, faith groups etc. they have enormous influence over what is taught within them.
• Standardised testing reduces the diversity of educational experience.

  • No critical or lateral thinking allowed.
• Private schools still exist, which means those with economic capital can afford a higher standard of education.

  • Lack of economic opportunity; inequalities.
• Gilborn and Youdell (2000) argue the ‘A-C economy’ creates a negative experience of schooling for students.

  • “The A-C economy” – where schools ration time, effort and resources in to pupils who have the potential to achieve five GCSEs at grade A-C, to boost their position in the league table.
  • Impression management.