AQA A Level Sociology - Unit 2: Education

Flashcards covering the AQA A Level Sociology Education unit, including school types, sociological perspectives (Functionalism, Marxism, New Right), policies, globalisation, and differential achievement by class, ethnicity, and gender.

How are Community schools or maintained schools funded and what curriculum do they follow?

They are funded by the local authority, are not influenced by business or religious groups, and follow the national curriculum.

What is the primary characteristic of Grammar schools in England?

They are state secondary schools that are free to attend but select pupils via the "$11\text{-plus}$" examination taken at age $11$. There are currently about $163$ grammar schools.

What are Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)?

Schools that cater for children who cannot attend mainstream schools, often due to permanent exclusion for behaviour, emotional difficulties, severe bullying, or pregnancy.

How are Academy schools funded and controlled?

They are state-funded directly by the Department for Education, independent of local authority control, and run as self-governing non-profit charitable trusts.

Who can set up Free schools in the UK?

Charities, universities, independent schools, community/faith groups, teachers, parents, or businesses.

According to Durkheim, how does education build social solidarity?

By passing on the culture and values of society through the hidden curriculum and PSHE lessons.

What did Parsons believe was the role of education regarding values?

Education acts as a bridge between the family and wider society, moving students from ascribed status and particularistic values to meritocratic and universalistic values.

What is 'Human Capital' according to Schultz?

The stock of knowledge, skills, values, habits, and creativity that makes someone an economic asset to society.

What is 'Role Allocation' as defined by Davis and Moore?

The process of the education system selecting and sifting people into the social hierarchy based on meritocratic achievement.

What do Althusser's terms 'Ideological State Apparatus' and 'Repressive State Apparatus' refer to?

ISA refers to institutions like education that pass on ruling class ideology; RSA refers to institutions like the police that enforce ideology through force.

What is the 'Correspondence Principal' according to Bowles and Gintis?

The ways in which the education system mirrors the world of work through hierarchy, punctuality, and obedience to prepare students for manual labour.

What are the three core aims of UK education policy?

$1$. Economic Efficiency $2$. Raising educational standards $3$. Creating equality of educational opportunity.

What are Gillborn and Youdell's four aspects of educational equality?

Equality of Access, Equality of Circumstance, Equality of Participation, and Equality of Outcome.

What did the $1988$ Education Reform Act introduce to increase equality?

The National Curriculum, ensuring all schools had to teach the same core subjects.

Define 'Marketisation' in the context of education.

The process of pushing services like education to operate like a business based on supply and demand, where parents/students are treated as consumers.

What is 'Parentocracy'?

When a child's educational achievement has more to do with parental wealth and wishes than student ability.

What is 'Educational Triage'?

When teachers allocate more resources to students on the $C/D$ borderline to improve league table rankings, often ignoring those unlikely to achieve those grades.

What is the PISA worldwide study?

The Programme for International Student Assessment, which evaluates educational systems by measuring $15$-year-old pupils in mathematics, science, and reading.

What are Bernstein's two language codes?

Restricted Code (working class, limited vocabulary, context bound) and Elaborated Code (middle class, complex grammar, abstract ideas).

What was the outcome of Rosenthal and Jacobson's 'Pygmalion in the classroom' study?

A random $20\text{\%}$ of students identified to teachers as 'bloomers' made more progress than others due to the self-fulfilling prophecy.

What distinction did Ray Rist find in his US Primary school study?

Teachers used home background to group students: 'Tigers' (neat middle class, fast), 'Cardinals' (working class, middling), and 'Clowns' (working class, troublesome).

What is the difference between Setting and Streaming?

Setting is placing students in ability groups for individual subjects; Streaming is placing them in ability groups across all subjects.

Define 'Symbolic Violence' as used by Archer.

Schools imposing superiority through values and attitudes, such as devaluing working class identities shaped by designer clothing.

What is 'Attainment 8'?

A measure of a student's average grade across $8$ subjects, where English and maths are double-weighted.

What are Sugarman's four elements of working class subculture that act as barriers to achievement?

$1$. Fatalism $2$. Collectivism $3$. Immediate Gratification $4$. Present time Orientation.

What are Bourdieu's three types of Capital?

Cultural Capital, Economic Capital, and Educational Capital.

According to DfES ($2007$), what percentage of White male pupils on free school meals gained $5\,A^* - C$ grades?

$24\text{\%}$.

What did Noon's ($1993$) study on racism in employment find?

Identical letters sent to companies using names 'Evans' and 'Patel' resulted in the 'White' candidate receiving more helpful and informative replies.

What are Sewell's four categories of male Black pupil responses to racist stereotypes?

The Rebels, The Conformists, The Retreatists, and The Innovators.

What is the 'Ethnocentric Curriculum'?

A curriculum that reflects the culture of the dominant ethnic group (e.g., Ball's 'Little Englandism' in the National Curriculum) while ignoring Minority Ethnic history or language.

Why do Mitsos and Browne suggest girls are more successful in coursework?

They tend to be more conscientious and better organized than boys.

What is 'Bedroom Culture'?

A socialisation pattern for girls involving quiet activities like reading and talking, which increases vocabulary and aligns with the traits of an 'ideal pupil'.

How does the 'Crisis of Masculinity' impact boys' education according to Mitsos and Browne?

The decline of heavy industries and male employment leads to an identity crisis and a belief that they will not get a 'proper job', resulting in low motivation for grades.

What was the 'Playing for Success' initiative?

An initiative to raise literacy and numeracy standard for demotivated $KS2$ and $KS3$ pupils by holding study centers at football clubs and sports grounds.

What is 'Gender Role Socialisation' according to Norman?

The process where girls and boys are raised differently and steered toward different activities, which channels them into different subjects at school.