Conservative Educational Policy 1988-1997

Learning Objectives To explain the key Conservative educational policies. To explain how Conservative educational policies reflect the New Right perspective on education.  To explain how Conservative policies improved equality of educational opportunity.  To evaluate Conservative policies

The New Right The Conservatives were influenced by New Right theorists such as Chubb and Moe in education. Note down as much as you can remember about the New Right view on education. The New Right perspective on education was about introducing competition and choice into education. This was known as marketization (the introduction of market principles into education). In pairs, note down how this could improve the standard of education.

Conservative Educational Policies The most important piece of legislation by the Conservative governments 1979-1997 was the 1988 Education Reform Act. You need to know about other key aspects of Conservative educational policy as well though. Read through the handout on Conservative educational policy and use it to complete a table like the one on the following slide (you will not be able to complete the evaluation column yet)

Conservative Educational Policies Policy How it improved equality of educational opportunity How it shows New Right thinking Evaluation

Marketisation Individually write a paragraph explaining how the following changes would work together to improve educational standards: Parental choice League tables Open enrolment Formula funding Make sure you include key terms, such as competition and choice.

Evaluation of Conservative Policies Look at the policies and note down ways in which they may have worsened equality of educational opportunity.

Evaluating Conservative Educational Policy For each of the studies on your evaluation of Conservative policies handout add them to the evaluation column of your table. Ensure you summarise what they argue the problem is with the Conservative policies and include the name of the sociologist.

Essay Planning Outline and assess the view that Conservative educational policies since 1988 have improved equality of educational opportunity (50 marks).

Plenary Explain the following terms: Marketisation A-C economy Silt shifting Educational triage Cream skimming