education policies

• aims of policies


  1. raising standards
  2. marketisation
  3. educational equality
  4. economic efficiency
• raising standards


  quality control

  privatisation OF education

  privatisation IN education
• marketisation


  independence

  competition

  parentocracy
• the Forster education act 1870, previous


  First national education systems came into force towards the latter part of the industrial revolution. Prior to this education had been provided at home or at fee-paying schools – This is where the term PUBLIC SCHOOL comes from that dates back to the the 16th century 

  Other education provided by parish churches – but was mostly based upon religious instruction and learning to read
• the Forster education act 1870


  1870, the Forster Education Act was introduced to tackle the need for a literate and numerate workforce. It focus on creating elementary schools for 5 – 12 year olds. Approximately 4,000 schools were created, but attendance was not enforced until the 1880 Elementary Education Act which made it compulsory for children up to the age of 10 to attend school.  
• the Forster education act 1870, oppositions


  Many of the schools were run by local parish churches and people opposed the funding of the church through government money.  They also opposed the teaching of Anglican (Church of England) values in education. 

  Factory owners were worried that compulsory education would reduce the amount of cheap labour available to them

  however they ended up with a more educated workforce as a result

  Parents, particularly in rural areas were unhappy about losing the labour of children at home and did not always encourage their children to attend
• the butler education act

  Need for social changes in the aftermath of World War 2 to address the poverty and deprivation that had occurred in the UK. As part of the Beveridge Report, it was suggested that education needed to facilitate social mobility and this was proposed through the creation of the tripartite system. 

  This required pupils to sit a test at the end of their primary schooling to determine which of three different schools they would go to. This test was called the 11 + and assessed pupils knowledge in a number of areas. 
• the 11+ exam


  The tripartite system was said to be meritocratic as allocation to schools was based upon the performance of pupils in the 11+ exam 

  If students passed the exam, they would be sent to a grammar school that prepared them for academic success. Alternatively, if they showed an aptitude for science and engineering, they would be sent to a technical college. 

  Those who failed the 11+ were sent to secondary moderns, where the curriculum was limited to basic English and maths and mostly vocational subjects. 
• positives of the tripartite system

  Created social mobility for many working-class children with academic ability

  Promoted meritocracy by giving those with ability opportunities to succeed 

  Governments had tried to reintroduce system on several occasions and some areas still operate the system 
• negatives of the tripartite system


  Limited numbers of technical colleges so more of a two school system 

  Labelling those who didn’t pass the 11 plus as failures 

  Manipulation of places meant girls needed higher marks to get into grammar schools 

  Largely benefitted middle class students 
• introduction of comprehensive schools

  By the mid 1960s there were changes in ideas about education with many calling for a ‘parity of esteem’ in the way children were educated.

  Criticisms of the grammar school system suggested that many working-class pupils were being left behind and seen as ‘failures’ if they went to secondary moderns. 

  Some LEAs opted out of grammar school system and set up ‘Comprehensive schools’ where pupils from local area would be educated together under the same roof
• comprehensive schools


  in 1965, a weak and unpopular Labour government sent out a circular to all Education Authorities known as 10/65. This told local education authorities, which were run by local councils that they should prepare for comprehensive schools. These would be single schools taking children of all abilities regardless of their success. In some areas, local education authorities changed to this new system of educating all children with some speed. In others, local education authorities failed to submit workable plans, and in these areas, there are still grammar schools.
• equality


  every person has the same chance or opportunity
• grammar school


  school that teaches traditional academic subjects
• comprehensive school


  school intended to teach children of all abilities
• circular 10/65


  an instruction telling education authorities to go comprehensive
• positives of comprehensive schools


  Improved performance of many working-class children in schools 

  Cultural mixing of students from different backgrounds promoted inclusion in society 

  Gave equal opportunities to children of all backgrounds to learn at same level as their peers 
• negatives of comprehensive schools

  Introduced ‘setting and streaming’ which labelled students based upon their academic performance 

  Catchment areas where often based upon social class – with middle-class children ending up with other middle-class children 

  While it was an inclusive policy, people would move to get into areas with good schools  
• new vocationalism


  In the 1970s high levels of unemployment meant changes to education. Some of the social mobility that had occurred in the post-war period meant that there were skills gaps in the UK market. 

  This was coupled with the growth of comprehensive schools offering academic forms of education. 

  Introduction of vocational courses and youth training schemes were introduced to address shortages in the labour market. 
• new vocationalism


  These policies included the creation of the YTS (youth training scheme) a form of apprenticeship where students would work for several days and attend a further education college one day a week to learn skills 

  Expansion of vocational courses created status differences between these courses (BTECs, etc) and A levels with the vocational courses seen as having less value 

  This fits Durkheim’s idea of the teaching of specialist skills for the complex modern workforce.