1988 education reform act

sociology

what did it introduce into the educational system?

marketisation, parental choice and competition

what did this act reflect

new right idealology

what is marketisation?

treating education like a market, with schools competing for students to secure funding

what is parentocracy?

The promoted idea of ‘parental choice’ empowering parents as ‘customers’ who could choose their child's school.

what is centralisation?

Power was shifted from local authorities to the government, which set the national curriculum and assessment standards.

what is formula funding.

Schools receiving funding based on the amount of enrolled students

what was the aim of the reform act and how did they plan on doing it?

Aim:

• raise academic standards

• Increases competition and academic standards

By:

• introducing market principles into the education system

Advantages of the reform act

• more competition means raised standards

• Pushed more schools to improve and stay competitive

• Greater parental choice

• national curriculum ensured consistency in favour of gypsy Roma travellers and military families

disadvantages of the reform act

increased inequality

• middle class families benefit because they:

• have cultural capital

• can move house to catchment areas

• know how to navigate the system

teachers became exam focused

more pressure on students to do well

advantages of marketisation

• good schools continue to improve and achieve high grades

• parental choice

• selecting disadvantaged students during the selection process

disadvantages of marketisation

• cream skimming

• disadvantages ethnic minority and working class students as they cannot afford ‘hidden costs’

• less full, disadvantaged school continue to decline and obtain low results

what are sink schools?

schools located in a disadvantaged area, which continue to obtain low results and underachievement

in order, what are the 3 most prioritised groups of children in the selection process?

1. children in care

2. children in need

3. children with a disability

give an example of a hidden cost

travelling to school

bus = expensive

car = expensive

what are skilled and disconnected choosers

skilled choosers: middle class families who can afford to live in catchment areas, know how the system works, cultural capital

disconnected choosers: working class families, lack economic and cultural capital, often feeling overwhelmed

what is privatisation?

private companies were given permission to run things for schools, e.g. food companies

advantages of privatisation

• businesses are providing opportunities + solutions to problems which schools have

• less economic dependency on the government.

• businesses bring skills and leadership to schools

• works on children’s futures

disadvantages of privatisation

• costs a lot of money for schools with limited budgets

• not many businesses which want to invest in schools

• leads to a wider divide of disadvantaged students going to a different school, advantaged to another

what was involved within the labour manifesto?

• replacing single headline ofsted grades with a report card system telling parents clearly how schools are performing

• fund ‘evidence based’ early language interventions in primary schools