Policies on gender and ethnicity

• Gender


  Policies related to gender equality in education
• Policies on gender in education


  1. Females largely excluded from higher education in 19th century

  2. Girls outperforming boys in 11+ under tripartite system to obtain grammar school places

  3. GIST policies introduced since 1970s to reduce gender differences in subject choice
• Ethnicity


  Policies related to ethnic minority groups in education
• Assimilation policies in 1960s and 70s


  1. Focused on need for minority ethnic pupils to assimilate into mainstream British culture to raise their achievement

  2. Especially helped those for whom English was not first language
• Critics of assimilation policies


  • Native groups at risk of underachieving, such as African Caribbean, already speak English
  • Real cause of underachievement is poverty and racism
• Multicultural education policies in 1980s and 90s

  1. Aimed to promote achievement of children from minority ethnic groups by valuing all cultures in school curriculum

  2. To raise minority people's self-esteem and achievements
• Criticisms of multicultural education policies


  • Stone argues black pupils don't fail due to lack of self-esteem, so MCE is misguiding
  • Critical race theories argue policies are tokenistic, picking out good features of minority cultures but failing to tackle institutional racism
  • New Right criticise policies for perpetuating cultural diversion, arguing education should promote shared national culture identity
• Social inclusion policies for minority ethnic pupils


  1. Detailed monitoring of exam results by ethnicity

  2. Amending race relation acts to place legal duty on schools to promote racial equality

  3. Helpful voluntary Saturday schools in black community

  4. English as an additional language program
• Critics of social inclusion policies


  Little genuine change in policy, instead of tackling structural causes of ethnic inequality like poverty and racism, policy takes soft approach focusing on cultural behaviour and home
• Institutionally racist policies in relation to ethnicity curriculum, assessment and streaming continue to disadvantage minority ethnic group pupils