30 markers

Q1: evaluate the view that while marxist & functionalist approaches focus on similar issues, they reach different conclusions about the role of education

both perspectives examine the relationship between education and & work

  1. functionalists - Davis & Moore: role allocation. Durkheim: teaching specialist skills

  2. marxists - Bowels & Gintis:

both perspectives look at how norms & values are transmitted through education

  1. functionalists - Parsons: universalistic values & meritocracy. Durkheim: teaching a sense of community & belonging

  2. marxism - Althusser: ISA: promote ruling class ideology, working class are taught their positions are destined & fixed (false class consciousness) - streaming, tripartite system

Q2: evaluate the claim that marketisation policies in education have increased inequality between the social classes

marketisation - schools become more like businesses - introduce ‘market forces’ (competition & choice)

  1. marketisation policies such as the Education Reform Act 1988 (conservative gov - Thatcher) introduced league tables, ofsted, & formula funding. schools compete for league table position & ofsted rating to attract students - the more students they get the more funding they receive. the aim of formula funding is to increase standards as schools will be pushing for better GCSE results. Ball & Whitty: good schools receive lots of applications, therefore can be selective - cream-skimming = accepting the best students (middle class, white, girls), silt-shifting = rejecting the worse (working class, ethnic minorities, boys). ending up in poorer quality schools. eval: overall, the Education Reform Act 1988 has created a wider social class gap in achievement, but has improved overall standards, & has supported gender equality through introducing the national curriculum - both genders now had access to the same subjects

  2. marketisation creates a parentocracy - parents have more choice & control over where their child goes to school. league tables & ofsted allow parents to make that informed decision. Chubb & Moe (New Right): wanted to introduce a voucher-style system - gov give money vouchers to parents who then have full control over what school to give that money to. Gewirtz: middle class parents have more advantages when choosing the best schools (privileged-skilled choosers) - more cultural, social, & economic capital. vs working class (disconnected-local chooser). eval: too generalised, some working class parents will try to access better education for their children. some middle class parents (ethnic minority) will lack the cultural capital to get their kids into a good school

  3. New Labour (Blair 1997) continued Thatchers Education Reform Act 1988 - market forces, like competition. but, he introduced policies to reduce social class inequalities: Sure Start - early years education, educational maintenance allowance - money to working class 16 year olds to encouraged them to stay in further education, vocational courses - alternative, practical learning to increase opportunities. eval: Ball: ‘New Labour paradox’ - contradicting policies that are not affective, e.g. educational maintenance allowances - students would misspend the money. e.g. vocational courses - looked down upon by employers/uni’s.

  4. later governments increased marketisation through academies (privatising schools - business run). Cameron - conservative 2010: academies receive state funding, but they also have sponsors/donors. increased independence - better resources available, innovate new things to focus on - be heavy exam focused & strict = raises standards & results. can be selective - favour students who fit the ideal pupil image (middle class, white, girls) & working class students end up being rejected, go to schools lower on the league tables, leave with lower results. eval: to overcome this Cameron introduced pupil premium - gov would give schools money to provide extra support & resources for working class students in the hope that academies would take more working class students on. eval: some schools would put the pupil premium money into the general budget rather than supporting the students that need it.

conclusion: to conclude, marketisation policies have increased social class inequalities. although Blair & Cameron have attempted to introduce policies to reduce that, neither have been successful.