social policy

• 1944 tripartite system - children sent to 1 of 3 schools determined by 11 +. grammar school if passed. secondary modern if failed. technical schools for vocational training.
• 1965 comprehensive system - aimed to make education more meritocratic. 11+ and grammar and secondary modern schools all abolished. local authority decided if they wanted to switch to comprehensive.
• functionalists argue comprehensives promote social integration by bringing together children of different social classes.
• marxists argue comprehensives aren't meritocratic and they reproduce class inequalities by streaming and labelling.
• marketisation is the process of introducing market forces of consumer choice and competition between schools.
• marketisation is central theme since 1988 education reform act. introduced national curriculum, GCSE's, parentocracy, league tables and OFSTED
• David argues marketisation of education is a parentocracy where parents rule and have the power.
• Bartlett - league tables encourage cream skimming and silt shifting. cream skimming is when good schools can be more selective by recruiting high achieving middle class pupils. silt shifting is when good schools avoid taking less able students who will damage league table position.
• funding formula is about how schools are allocated funds based on how many pupils they have. popular schools get more funds so can afford better quality teachers.
• Gewirtz argues marketisation policies benefit middle class. studied 14 london secondary schools. 3 types of parents - privileged skilled choosers, disconnected local choosers, semi skilled choosers.
• sure start aimed to help working class families by promoting health of young children. national literacy strategy helps disadvantaged students improve literacy skills.
• chubb and moe propose a voucher system to buy education. encourages schools to become more responsive.
• from 2010 schools encouraged to become academies.
• Ball argues promoting academies and free schools has led to fragmentation and centralisation control over education. fragmentation - comprehensive system replaced by private ownership. centralisation - government have power to become academies or free schools.
• cola-isation of schools is how the private sector is penetrating education indirectly e.g. vending machines.
• labour government 97-10 introduced policies on marketisation and raising standards. education action zones in disadvantaged areas to unite schools and local parents. education maintenance allowance paid to children in school. specialist schools to adopt a specific subject.
• conservative policies from 2010 promotes academies and free schools. brought in pupil premium extra money for disadvantaged pupils. exam reform removal of coursework.
• ball - argues the myth of parentocracy by giving the idea that education is based on parents having free choice of schools. in reality it is a myth which makes it look like all parents have same choice but middle class are more able to take advantage of this.