Educational policy

• What is educational policy? 


  Plans and strategies for education introduced by the government
• Governments in charge


  Conservative/New Right (1979-1997)

  New Labour (1997-2010)

  Coalition (2010-2015)
• 1988 Education reform act (conservative)


  marketisation “bums on seats” = formula funding

  national curriculum

  testing systems (GCSE’s, sats and ofsted)
• Chubb and Moe (New Right)


  voucher system as main income

  low income families did 5% better in private schools

  > standards would improve if introduced in state schools
• Gillborn and Youdell - educational triage


  will def pass - no help

  will def fail - no help

  might pass - will get help

  (doesn’t benefit league tables as many will fail)
• Gerwirtz - parental choice


  middle class able to choose better schools so will do better

  > reproduces inequality
• Ball -parentocracy is a myth


  Gives the appearance but mc are more able so not every parent has the same power
• Bartlett - silt-shifting and cream-skimming


  C-S - good > can be more selective

  S-S - avoid taking less able that may damage league tables

  > creates sink schools (get the rejects)
• Coalition gov policies from 2010


  > reducing role of state by marketisation and privatsation

  > academies

  > free schools - improve standards by giving power to parents

  > Allen - 20% free schools in sweden

  > fragmented centralisation

  > Ball - f - system replaced by private providers

  - c - gov has power to allow to become academies and free schools

  > free school meals and pupil premium
• Privatisation


  Transfer of private assets (schools) to private companies
• Ball discusses the education services industry and the trend towards privatisation
• ESI activities


  • Building
  • Supply
  • Career
  • Large scale projects
• Buckingham and Scalon mention the UK's 5 leading software companies owned by multinationals
• UK edu-business works overseas
• Colalisation of schools


  Vending machines improve standards
• Ball mentions Cadburys scrapped as eat 5,440 to qualify for posts
• Beder discusses $110,000 in Tesco in return for a computer
• Education as a commodity


  Object of private profit making
• Ball states that education is an object of private profit making
• Marxists view education as a myth to legitimate education for profit
• Marketisation policies


  League tables, OFSTED, opting out of local authority, formula funding, open enrolment, specialist schools
• New Labour Policies


  aim higher programme, literacy and numeracy hours, education maintenance allowance, city academies, education action zones, reducing primary class sizes, increased funding for state education
• Gender and Ethnicity policies


  GIST + WISE, 11+, assimilation policies, multicultural education, detailed monitoring of exam results by ethnicity, amending race relations act, English as additional language programmes
• 1944 - Tripartite system


  (Butler Act)

  3 types: Grammar (top 20%), Secondary modern (75%), technical (5% - vocational)

  aim is meritocracy
• 1960s Comprehensive system


  abolished 11+ and grammars and secondary moderns

  = replaced with comprehensive

  left to local authority to decide , divide remains today
• 2010 Coalition gov


  academies more widespread - control over budget and curriculum

  free schools

  uni fees to $9,000 and a level reforms

  free school meals and pupil premium
• 1880 Compulsory education act


  had to go to school between 5-13
• 1997 New Labour gov


  education action zones - additional funding

  aim higher programmes

  educational maintenance allowance

  academies for failing schools