new labour 1997-2010

• aims of new labour

  1. raising standards
  2. increase diversity and choice
  3. improve equality of opportunity
• new labour's approach to raising standards was based on the idea that schools were failing because they lacked discipline, so there would be more emphasis on behaviour management
• policies to improve standards

  • reduction of class sizes down to 30
  • literacy and numeracy hour - 1 hour a day
  • expanded role of OFSTED
  • city academies
• policies to reduce inequality of opportunity

  • education action zones - extra money for schools in deprived areas
  • sure start - free nursery
  • education maintenance allowance - £30 per week for students from low income households
• policies to increase diversity

  • specialist schools e.g school of arts , sciences
• new labour


  continuation of marketisation policies but aimed at more equality and diversity
• compensatory education


  policies aimed to tackle cultural deprivation

  e.g sure start, EMAs
• city academies


  academies first launched as city academies under new labour

  created for failing inner-city schools - were shut down and re-opened under new management as academies

  2002 - 'city' was removed so non urban areas could join the academies programme
• education action zones

  • designating deprived areas as education action zones, providing them with additional resources
• aim higher programme 


  to raise aspirations of groups who are under-represented in higher education
• tuition fees for higher education


  deterred wc pupils from going to university