1. Which key issues/concepts in education do these images relate to?
“Thank you nurse, I almost didn’t get a ‘C’ in Maths”

2. Starter – Waste Paper Bin
Priviledge

3. Academies and Free Schools
Education Policies
Tripartite
Comprehensive
Marketisation
Academies and Free Schools

4. Key Questions to ask of each policy
Does this policy improve equal opportunities?
What types of schools should there be?
Choice – should parents choose their schools or should schools get to choose their pupils?
Who has control over schools? Who decides the curriculum?
Who should run the schools? To what extent should they operate like a business?

5. Education and Perspectives: Who to remember
Functionalism
New Right
Marxist
Durkheim
Parsons
Davis and Moore
Chubb and Moe
Conservative Politicians/
Ministers
Althusser
Bowles and Gintis
Willis
Bourdieu

6. Criticisms of Marxism It’s a deterministic theory
This means that is suggests that there is no alternative than for the working classes to fail.
There are plenty of examples of working-class people who have succeeded in education.
There are also examples of those that have failed in education, but succeeded in business (Alan Sugar for example)
However, these people have embraced capitalist values.
It could be said that theories are becoming outdated. Postmodernists point to how the education system now caters for a wide range of backgrounds and features more choice and opportunities.

7. Vocational Education
In the 198o’s the Conservative government were concerned that there was a ‘skills crisis’ in the UK.
In the 80’s there was MASSIVE youth unemployment, and the Tory’s thought this was because schools were not teaching appropriate work skills.
They thought this was to blame for the UK’s poor economy at this time!!
To fight this, they implemented some iniatiatives to reduce unemployment and boost skills.

8. New Vocationalism: What did they introduce?
Vocational qualifications
NVQ’s (on the job training qualification)
GNVQ’s (in school job-based learning)
Modern Apprenticeships
Youth Training Schemes (YTS) On the job training

9. Criticisms
Neo-Marxists like Finn (1987) had a number of reservations about the New Vocationalism.
They provided cheap labour for employers: Some YTS students in the 1980’s were getting about £25-30 for a full weeks work (40 hrs)
YTS members were not allowed to join unions, which undermined their power.
There was no parity of esteem between GNVQ’s/NVQ’s and traditional academic courses.
Some argued that it was just a superficial way for the government to lower the unemployment and youth crime rates (papering over the cracks)

10. Education: Educational Social Policies

11. Pre-War education
1870: Education was first made compulsory and free 1880: Attendance was made compulsory until the age of : The state became responsible for secondary education and school leaving age was raised to 14

12. The Butler Education Act (1944)
Primary education until the age of 11
Secondary school compulsory until the age of 15
Further & Higher education at 15+
Secondary education was determined by the 11+ exam
Grammar
Technical schools
Secondary modern

13. Problems of the Tripartite system
Unfairness of the system - discuss

14. 1965: Comprehensive system established
The aim of comprehensives was to teach all under one roof regardless of social class, gender, ethnicity and ability
School leaving age was raised to 16
More mixed-ability teaching was introduced
An emphasis on the ‘3 Rs’ – Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic
GCE’s began to replace ‘O-Levels’
Problems with the comprehensive system:

15. 1979-1997 (Conservative Power)
1988 Education Reform Act (V. IMP!)
All students to study the National curriculum and take GCSE’s
Pupils to sit SATS at 7,11 and 14
Schools were to be entered into league tables to judge performance – they became more accountable for ‘failure’
Schools became more business like and controlled their own finances (Grant Maintained Schools)
Increased OFSTED inspections
‘New Vocationalism’ – Youth training schemes and work experience
Marketisation – Schools used prospectuses and advertising to recruit students to their schools. More parent power.

16. National Curriculum
A standard curriculum in all state schools (core curriculum)
Key Stages 1,2,3 and 4
Specific targets/graded levels

17. Pros and Cons Cons Pros Political interference in school ‘learning’
Less choice – minority subjects ‘edged out’
Not suitable for all – suits ‘academic’ pupil
Private schools don’t teach it
Pros
Compare performance of schools
Continuity when a pupil moved school
Central government control – raise standards
Same diet for all

18. National Testing At the end of each key stage Ages 7,11,14 and 16
Results published
Students pushed to hit targets

19. Pros and Cons Pros Teachers encouraged to get high grades
Performance could be compared
Cons
Pressure on pupils
Many students fail and feel worthless
Schools become exam factories
Do not analyse ‘value added’
Students may be more talented in subjects not tested

20. League Tables
Annually published results of school examination performances at GCSE and A LEVEL

21. Pros and Cons Cons Pros Creates ‘sink schools’
Doesn’t measure Value Added
Doesn’t take into account the socio-economic make up of schools
Schools manipulate figures, ie) attendance
Pros
Parents can compare schools
Schools motivated to improve
Make teachers accountable for results

22. Open Enrolment Schools can take pupils from anywhere
Parents can send children anywhere
Increased competition between schools

23. Pros and Cons Cons Pros Least popular schools – less funding
Broke up communities
Minority subjects abandoned
Schools too focused on ‘marketing’
Pros
Specialist schools – more choice
Schools compete – raise standards
More popular schools received more funding (LMS)

24. Grant Maintained Status
School opt out of LEA control
Direct funding from central government

25. Pros and Cons Cons Some schools had more money
Greater autonomy for headteachers – prioritise spending
Less ‘dictating’ by LEA
More funds at the disposal of the school
Cons
Some schools had more money
Schools avoided LEA specialist guidance in ‘progressive’ education
Entry examinations re-emerged

26. So…what were the consequences of the 1988 Education Reform Act?
Greater choice
Competition
Meeting equal opportunities
Raising standards
Greater control and standardisation of British education
Schools and teachers now more accountable

27. Question: 1 side for Wednesday
How did the 1988 Education Reform Act create an education market.
Emphasis on: Key terms and specific features of the policy (NNLOG)

28. Think They might have been the upsides, but what about the downsides?
In pairs/small group, create list of the downsides/negative impacts that some of these features of the 1988 Education Reform Act might have had.

29. Or….. Reduced choice Limited subjects in school
Unfair advantage in some schools
Creating sink schools
Destruction of ‘local education’ and the networks between schools and guidance from LEA
Schools becoming ‘exam factories’
Too much parent power – interference
Greater pressure on students – a sense of failure
Greater admin and teachers losing their creative independence
Removed the ‘local flavour’ of schools and their catchment

30. 1997 onwards – New Labour Curriculum 2000 A levels became AS and A2s
More vocational choice – BTEC, GNVQ, AVCE and NVQ
Tomlinson enquiry – aim to increase flexibility and equality (14-19)
More people to be university educated

31. Education = economic success = skills focus
1997 onwards – New Labour
Education = economic success = skills focus
Literacy and numeracy are essential
Need to support some groups who are not succeeding (compensatory education)

32. But many argue that New Labour were not so new...
They kept many Tory policies...
League tables
School inspections
Vocational education
Powers to take over failing schools
National Curriculum
Testing
But they did get rid of ‘Grant Maintained Schools’ – they initiated Foundation Schools and Specialist School status instead.
And they stopped part funding middle class parents who wanted a private education for their children.

33. What Policies did New Labour Introduce?

34. New Policies What are the benefits of these policies?
Reducing class sizes to under 30
Literacy and numeracy hours in primary schools
After school homework clubs
Social exclusion units
Education Action Zones
University fees paid by students
What are the benefits of these policies?

35. Reducing class sizes Details Why?
Smaller class sizes in primary schools
Why?
More one to one/personal contact
Greater individual guidance
Behaviour management

36. Literacy/Numeracy Hours
Details
Special timetable slots for reading and number skills
Why?
Improve key skills
Needs of employers/economy
Enable students to access curriculum/opportunities

37. After school homework clubs
Details
Funding for schools to run extra classes after school
Compensatory education approach
Why?
Compensate ‘deprived’ students
Equal opportunities for all

38. Social Exclusion Units
Details
Special support for deprived pupils
Why?
Compensatory education – to enable equal opportunities/headstart

39. Education Action Zones
Details
Over 50 areas in UK – poor- received additional resources/funding
Why?
Compensatory education for deprived
Overcome poverty/barriers to opportunity

40. University Course Fees
Details
Students have to contribute to university fees
Repay fees when earning over a certain sum
Why?
Economic issues – reduce state spending
Why should average taxpayer fund middle class children to climb ladder?

41. Coalition government – 2010-?
Increased university fees
The end of EMA
Increased contributions from parents?
Baccalaureate qualifications from 14-19?
Compulsory education to the age of 18
The end of coursework
Increased OFSTED inspections?
Higher entry requirements for teachers?#
Academies: Forced conversion?

42. What are academies?
Academies are independent, state-funded schools, which receive their funding directly from central government rather than from a local authority (eg, Harrow Council)
Free schools are similar to academies in that they receive funding directly from central government. However, they are schools that can be set up by businesses, groups of parents, teachers, charities, universities, trusts, religious or voluntary groups.

43. What is different about academies?
Academies have more freedom than other state schools over the following:
Finances
Curriculum
Length of terms
Length of school day

44. Who came up with them?
Originally, the creation of academies was a Labour education policy.
It was originally designed as a way to help struggling schools, mainly in deprived areas.
This idea has been significantly changed by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government.

45. Reducing class sizes
Details
Smaller class sizes in primary schools

46. Literacy/Numeracy Hours
Details
Special timetable slots for reading and number skills

47. After school homework clubs
Details
Funding for schools to run extra classes after school
Compensatory education approach

48. Social Exclusion Units
Details
Special support for deprived pupils

49. Education Action Zones
Details
Over 50 areas in UK – poor- received additional resources/funding

50. University Course Fees
Details
Students have to contribute to university fees
Repay fees when earning over a certain sum

51. Test your knowledge and understanding…
What is Vocational Education?
What is Vocational Training?
What does the ‘A-C economy’ describe?
Who developed the theory of ‘educational triage’ and what does it describe?
Who coined the term ‘parentocracy’ and what does it describe?
Gerwitz argues that there is a ‘myth of the parentocracy’ because middle-class parents have advantages when it comes to schools – state and explain one advantage.
What is EMA?
Whitty (2002) suggests that EMA does help WC students stay on for post 16 education, but after that…
What are Education Action Zones (EAZ’s)?
What does Bartlett mean by cream-skimming?
What is the opposite of ‘cream-skimming’?

52. Assess the Extent to Which Educational Policies Have Been Meritocratic (20 marks)