New Labour (1997)

• Main aims

  1. To respond to increased competition due to globalisation
  2. Raising standards
  3. More focus on the equality of opportunity than the original New Right
  4. Increasing choice and diversity
• Details of policy

  1. Increased funding to education
  2. Reduced class sizes, introduced numeracy and literacy hour
  3. Introduced Sure Start
  4. Education Maintenance Allowance
  5. Tuition Fee for higher education
• Sure Start

  • Free nursery for younger children 12 hours a week
  • Advice for parents
• Evaluation


  Early academies rose standards in poor areas a lot (mossbourne)
• Evaluation 


  Generally better at improving equality of opportunity than the New Right
• Evaluation


  Parents liked sure start but it did not improve education (improved health)
• Evaluation 


  The introduction of tuition fees put working class children off going to university (Conner et al)