introduction to education

• the hidden curriculum

  most influential institution in society - takes individuals from age 4, for 6+ hours a day over a period of at least 12/13 years - bombards them with a vast amount of knowledge

  includes:

  • behaviour
  • etiquette
  • restraint
  • attendance and punctuality
  • responsibility
• faith school

  a school that teaches a general curriculum but with a particular religious character or having formal links with a religious organisation

  introduced in 2004 by New Labour
• grammar school

  a secondary school which you need to pass the 11+ to go to (selection by ability)
• church school

  a school which is committed to Christian beliefs
• private school

  fee paying schools that may or may not follow the national curriculum
• academies

  these primary and secondary schools are directly funded by central government but not controlled by local government

  schools can decide how to spend their own budget and can make more of their own decisions e.g. opening hours

  may receive additional financial support from sponsors
• specialist school

  schools which focus on certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement

  government gave extra funding to help schools to improve in their chosen subject

  started in 1994 but ended by new Coalition government in May 2010
• higher education

  undergraduate, postgraduate level education (universities)
• comprehensive schools

  a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude

  first began in 1946 but expanded and much more common from 1965

  many have now converted to academies
• selective schools

  a school which has some specific form of entry criteria

  may be based on intelligence (grammar schools) or some other talent e.g. musical or sporting ability