Parsons

• PARSONS says that ‘School is the bridge between family and wider society’.
• Parsons says that school is an agent of secondary socialisation.
• Parsons key value is MERITOCRACY.
• Parsons says that education achieves meritocracy through the hidden or informal curriculum, social norms of the school and competition between students.
• Contemporary Applications include School uniform policies, disciplinary policies of schools and OFSTED - Cultural capital.
• AO3: MARXISTS say that the curriculum prepares students for exploitation. This would overall transmits values of capitalism.
• AO3: POST-MODERNISTS says that the fragmented nature of society means socialisation by various agents.
• AO3: Clash of working class and middle-class values in education leads to underachievement.