Sociology

• Types of schools


  • State schools
  • Private schools
  • Alternative provision
• Community/Maintained schools


  Funded by the local authority, not influenced by business or religious groups, follow the national curriculum
• Private/Independent schools


  Fee paying schools, independent of regulations and conditions that apply to state funded schools, may choose to follow some regulations
• Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)

  Schools that cater for children who can't attend a mainstream school, often due to behaviour, emotional/behavioural difficulties, severe bullying, pregnancy/young mothers
• Foundation and voluntary schools

  Funded by the local authority but have more freedom to change the way they do things, sometimes supported by religious groups
• City Technology Colleges (CTCs)

  All-ability secondary schools based in urban centres, geared towards science, maths, technology and preparing students for the world of work
• Grammar schools


  State secondary schools that select pupils by means of an examination taken at age 11 (11-plus)
• Special Education Schools


  Schools catering for students with special educational needs due to learning difficulties, physical disabilities or behavioural problems
• Public schools


  Long established, fee paying schools that also require an entrance exam to attend (e.g. Eton, Cheltenham Ladies College)
• Academy schools


  State-funded schools directly funded by the Department for Education, independent of local authority control, do not have to follow the National Curriculum but must ensure a broad and balanced curriculum
• Free schools


  Funded by the government but not run by the local authority, have more control over how they operate, 'all-ability' schools that cannot use academic selection
• International schools


  Schools catering to the international community, following international curricula such as the International Baccalaureate, International Primary Curriculum and iGCSEs
• Home schooling


  Learning outside of the public or private school environment, often involving learning from community resources and interactions with other homeschooling families
• Faith schools


  Have to follow the national curriculum but can choose what they teach in religious studies, may have different admissions and staffing policies
• Single sex schools


  Schools that select based on gender, 100% male or female student body, often become co-ed at 6th form level
• State boarding schools


  Schools where you pay for boarding but the education is free, funded by the government
• Stages of education


  • Early Years and Foundation Stage
  • Primary School
  • Secondary School
  • Further Education
  • Higher Education
• Human capital


  The stock of knowledge, skills, values, habits and creativity that makes someone an economic asset to society
• Hidden curriculum


  The informal learning processes that happen in school, teaching students the norms and values of society
• Particularistic values


  Values and rules which only apply to a particular person in a given situation (e.g. home)
• Universalistic values


  Values and rules which apply to all members of society equally
• Functionalist view of education

  • Socialisation and social solidarity

  2. Bridge between family and society

  3. Developing human capital

  4. Role allocation
• New Right view of education

  Similar beliefs to functionalists but believe the state takes too much of a role, support free market policies and competition between schools
• Ideological State Apparatus


  A social institution whose main role is to pass on the dominant ideology of the ruling class
• Repressive State Apparatus


  A social institution whose role is to enforce the dominant ideology by force or threat of force (e.g. police)
• Correspondence principle


  The ways in which the education system mirrors the world of work (e.g. hierarchy, punctuality, hidden curriculum)
• Marxist view of education


  • Reproduction of social inequality

  2. Legitimisation of social inequality
• The main role of education according to Marxists is to maintain capitalism and reproduce social inequality
• Aims of education policy in the UK

  • Economic efficiency

  Raising educational standards

  Creating equality of educational opportunity
• Aspects of educational equality identified by Gillborn and Youdell


  • Equality of access

  Equality of circumstance

  Equality of participation

  Equality of outcome
• Policies that increased equality in education

  • 1988 Education Reform Act - National Curriculum

  1965 Comprehensivisation Act

  Schools Admissions Code

  Pupil Premium
• Types of selection in education

  • Selection by ability (entrance tests)

  Selection by aptitude

  Selection by faith
• Open Enrolment Policies (OEP)


  Parents can apply to any state school, but over-subscribed schools fill up quickly so many don't get their first choice
• Covert selection


  Backdoor social selection by schools to 'cherry pick' students, discouraging applications from poorer students
• Arguments in favour of selection

  • Allows 'high-flyers' to benefit
  • Specialised and focused teaching can take place
• Arguments against selection


  • Late developers don't benefit
  • Mixed ability fosters social cohesion
  • Reduced risk of labelling and therefore SFP
  • HA can act as a inspiration to other students
• Open Enrolment Polices (OEP)


  Parents can apply to any state school, in any area and if the school is under subscribed they must take the child. However over-subscribed schools fill up quickly so many parents don't get their 1st choice.
• Over Subscription Policies - Priority to

  • Children in care
  • Pupil premium
  • Siblings (at discretion of LA)
  • Catchment area – closest first
  • Faith
• Covert Selection


  Backdoor social selection to cherry pick students. Discouraging parents of poorer students from applying in the first place through high uniform prices, making literature hard to understand, not advertising in poorer areas. Faith schools require a letter from spiritual leader to gain insight to the potential students family and commitment to both the faith and the school ethos.
• Marketisation


  The process of where by services like education are pushed towards operating like a business based on supply and demand. Students are considered consumers rather than pupils.