THE NEW RIGHT PERSPECTIVE ON EDUCATION

• The new right favours marketisation of education as people as best to meet their own needs through the free market. They believe that the current education system isn't achieving these goals as it is run by the state - argue that it takes a 'one size fits all approach' - schools aren't answerable to consumers which lowers the standard of achievement leading to a less qualified workforce
• Chubb and Moe: Consumer choice - argue state education in US has failed due to

  • not creating equal opportunity, failed the needs of disadvantaged groups
  • insufficient, fails to produce pupils with the skills needed by economy
• TWO ROLES FOR THE STATE:

  1. state imposes a framework e.g publishing Ofsted inspections and league tables
  2. ensures that schools transmit a shared culture e.g a single national curriculum
• EVALUATION OF THE NEW RIGHT PERSPECTIVE:

  • Gerwitz and Ball argue that competition between schools benefits the middle class, who can use cultural and economic capital to get into more desirable schools.
  • critics argue the cause of low educational standards is social inequality and inadequate funding of state schools