Parsons + Davis and Moore

a bridge between school and work

• parsons argued that secondary socialisation takes over from primary socialisation and acts as a bridge between the family and the world of work

• he argues that schools teach you from particularistic values to universalistic values that apply to everyone in society

• e.g. through exams

education and value consensus

• parsons also sees schools as socialising young people into the value consensus of society

• kids must learn :

• individual achievement: this is learned through competing with others and rewarded with praise from teachers ,higher grades and educational qualifications. this prepares young people for the world of work where they will have to compete with others in order to achieve

• equality of opportunity - schools reflect the belief that everyone has an equal chance of success. schools reflect this by encouraging all students to succeed . British schools have an equal opportunities policy emphasising that all students, irrespective of their cage should be treated equally and given equal opportunities 

role allocation - davis and moore

• sociologists Davis and Moore argue that education serves an important role is sifting and sorting students based on ability into their future roles 

• this is seen as operating through a meritocracy , rewarding the top students with higher grades and higher qualifications 

• therefore employers can identify the most able individuals and recruit them for more important positions  

evaluation

• critised by marxists