History of social policies

Let’s take a history lesson. What year was the eduaction act and what did it do?

1944, compulsory state education up until 14, tri-partite system, 3 schools: grammar was one of them that 20% of students who passed the IQ test went to

What was good about it?

Upward social mobility for kids who passed the 11+

What are criticisms?

Marxists didn’t appreciate the elaborated code that 11+ was written in, grammar schools were heavily populated by middle class.

Feminists didnt like the fact that girls had to do better as there were less female grammar schools

What happened in 1965?

Comprehensive education act

What did it do?

Took away 11+, educate all children in the same type of school

Good things about it?

Could reward late bloomers in higher sets rather than instantly cutting the line at 11.

Criticisms?

Catchment areas - class, private education still exists, inequality within schools rather than betwween schools.

What happened in 1988?

Education Reform Act

What did it introduce?

SATs, GCSEs, A-Levels. National Curriculum - all schools doing the same tings. OFSTED inspections and league tables to give parents better choice.

What did it aim to do?

Marketisation. Worse performing schools would have to improve or they’d have funding cut/closed

Benefits?

School results improved.

Criticisms?

Gender, class, ethnicity disparity.

Middle class parents use cultural and material capital to get students into better schools, class division.