educational policy and inequality

what is educational policy

Educational policy refers to the plans, strategies, and laws created by the government to control and improve the education system.

• Who gets access to education

• What students are taught (curriculum)

• How schools are funded

• How students and schools are assessed

• How equality or inequality is addressed

tripartite system

• introduced by the 1944 education act to select children from different schools based on their ability and 11+ exam .

• gives them opportunity to go grammar school and technical school

• students that failed go to secondary modern school

• this system did not create meritocracy it produced class inequality

• gender inequality was produced as girls had to score higher in the 11 + to go grammar school

comprehensive education

in 1965 aim to overcome the tripartite class divide

• banned selective ability

• schools educated on one size fits all basis

• internal picking such as streaming , setting and banding

marketisation

Marketisation is the process of introducing market forces (like competition and choice) into public services — in this case, education.

Instead of treating schools like equal public services, they're treated more like businesses competing for pupils (and funding).

Began with the 1988 Education Reform Act

key Features of Marketisation :

1. League Tables – Schools ranked by exam results.

2. Ofsted Inspections – Public reports on school quality.

3. National Curriculum – Standardised subjects for comparison.

4. Formula Funding – More pupils = more money for schools.

5. Open Enrolment – Parents can apply to any school, not just local ones.

6. Parental Choice – Parents choose schools like consumers.

7. Specialist Schools – Schools could focus on subjects like sports, tech, etc.

Aims of Marketisation

• Improve standards by increasing competition between schools.

• Increase parental choice (also known as parentocracy).

• Encourage efficiency and accountability.

Evaluation of Marketisation