educational policy and inequality

educational policy

the plans, decisions and laws made by governments or institutions to shape how education is delivered

before 1870

most children didn’t have access to formal education

1870 elementary education act

made primary education available for children ages 5-13

1944 education act / butler act

made secondary education free and compulsory up to age 15

what did the butler act introduce

11 plus exam

the tripartite system POSITIVE

introduced free secondary education for all

the tripartite system NEGATIVE

reinforced class based divisions

the comprehensive system POSITIVE

aimed to abolish selection and provide equal opportunity

the comprehensive system NEGATIVE

criticised for a lack of academic challenge

marketisation

introducing competition between schools

league tables

published ranking of school exam results

funding formula

schools get money based on how many students they have

cream-skimming

schools select highest achieving students to improve results

slit-shifting

schools avoid taking less a able students

when was the education action zone introduced and under what government

late 1990s and New Labour

what did the education action zone aim to do?

improve educational outcomes come in disadvantaged areas particularly for w/c students

how did it aim to make education fairer for the w/c?

reduce educational equality, increase opportunity, raise aspirations

Ball (2011)

promoting academies increased fragmentation and centralisation of control

fragmentation

comprehensive system being replaced by private companies lading to more inequalities

centralisation of control

gov has power to allow academies to be set up