The education system passes on cultural norms and values through the hidden curriculum and PSHE. This helps build social solidarity as it teaches students the core values of society.
Bridge between family and society (Parsons)
Schools provide a link between particularistic values (taught at home) and universalistic standards (values of widersociety)
Developing human capital (Schultz)
Investment in education benefits wider economy. Education can provide a properly trained and qualified workforce. So, education makes sure that the best and most qualified people end up in jobs that require the most skill
Role allocation (Davis and Moore)
The education system provides a means to selecting and sifting people into the social hierarchy.
Evaluation
-ignores aspects of education which are dysfunctional
-Myth of meritocracy- private education
-Marxists- hidden curriculum reinforces social inequality and maintains ruling class ideology
-Feminists- hidden curriculum reinforces and maintains the patriarchy not meritocracy
-There's a weak link between educational achievement and economic success
