Education policies

• before 1870 education not free - churches/charities may pay
• gov. decided universal education necessary for competitive work force - encouraged school boards to set yp elementary schools with basic curriculum
• could charge up to 9p/week, not all attended, compulsary for all kids up to age 10 by 1880
• became free 1891
• leaving age raised to 14 by 1918
• those who could afford followed on to grammar/public school for academic secondary education

• 1944 gov. provided secondary schools for all.
• age 11 students took intelligience test - 20% passed and attended grammar with academic curriculum and O+A levels
• those who failed went to secondary modern with practical curriculum - no leaving exams, teachers protested and CSE introduced(eaqsier than O-level)
• minority attended technical schools(few built)
• all types schools should have had some status, parity of esteem
• many felt failure, particularly late developers
• left-wingers believe m/c children more likely to pass 11+, so system socially divisive. campaigned for mixed ability schools.

• 1965 Labour gov bought in first comps, asking L.A's to merge secondary modern + grammar
• most did - but was expensive, and Cons. halted it when in power
• comprehensivisation halted and resumed with each change of government until 1997, when new Labour came to power
• New Labour more concerned about raising standards + parental choice than closing grammar
• over 160 grammars remained when coalition took over 2010

evaluation

• at comps easy for late bloomers to move between sets
• In forms, members of diff social classes likely to mix
• no sense of failing entrance test - still lose motivation in lower streams
• teachers subconciously pick students for sets based on social class/ethnicity
• large size of comps vast facilities but impersonal, and discipline problems
• comprehensives left to pick up left-overs when grammar or public schools nearby. Lack of able students may fail to stretch already attending able students, depresses overall results
• comps vary in intake based on catchment area

• 1960's - many schools adopted 'progressive' education
• reaction against 'jug and mug' lessons where students were fed facts from a teacher
• primary schools favoured large open plan classrooms where students could choose activities(pupil centered learning)
• encouraged students to think for themsleves, but many avoided maths and English
• some left school without basic skills, and were unable to work, so the policy had to change.

• 1976 Labour PM made speech that ignited 'the great debate' about whether current unemployment crisis would be alleviated if education became more vocational
• vocational courses introduced shortly after
• 1983 - schools funded by Technical and Vocational Educational Initiative(TVEI) to organise work experience in school time.
• schools encouraged to teach technology
• 1992 General National Vocational Qualifications(GNVQ's) introduced in areas such as Health and Social Care, Business studies, ICT and Leisure+Tourism. rename applied GCSE's and A-levels to make more attractive

evaluation

• vocational courses continue to have lower status than academic courses, so uptake low.

• conservative legislation
• raised standards and created identicle curriculum across country
• before this, schools could teach classes not sitting external exams anything they wanted
• national curriculum age 5-16 followed by all state schools
• English, Maths, Science core subjects occupty 30-40% of teaching time
• seven foundation subjects including technology+language must be taught - list since slimmed, but IT and citizenship added
• standardised attainment tests(SATS) in English, Maths, Science at age 7,11,14,16 to see if students met attainment targets
• results published in league tables to encourage schools to work harder
• tests at 5 been added to measure 'value added'
• four-yearly inspections by OFSTED ensure reccomendations were followed
• open enrolement - parents could send pupils to any unselective school that had places, schools had to compete for pupils. Previously based on catchment area.

• formula funding - schools recieved funding based on number of students attracted. failing schools closed due to lack funding - succesful ones grew.
• city technology colleges created - emphasised IT and technology, worked with local business

evaluation

• national curriculum made easy for students who moved schools
• ensures all students study science to 16, girls previously dropped.
• better prepared for work by studying core subjects + ICT/Technology/language
• testing informs parents of progress but can take away from other studies - KS3 recently dropped for this reason
• some schools appear low on league tables despite high value added
• early league tables gave raw scores - didn't take schools social circumstances into account. recent attempts to add special needs and value added still provide incomplete picture.
• non acadmeic studies do not show on league tables
• good schools that fail to impress parents recieve less funding, less money to improve, downward spiral, demoralise teachers.
• schools become marketised, spending lots on impressing parents - when money should be spent on pupils

• to rank well in league tables, school may choose more able students
• Gilborn and Youdell(2000) - schools gave more hope to those on borderline of 5 A*-C GCSE's, high flyers + hopelessly neglected
• power shifted away from schools to parents, freedom of choice - parentocracy + raising standards
• Ball and Gerwitz - some parents more choice - transport, knowledge league tables/OFSTED reports
• teachers do probably work harder to ensure students well prepared for tests+exams - may increase student motivation

• O-levels and CSE's replaced in 1988 by GCSE's
• avoided teachers having to guess at students' potential when they were only 14
• increased equality of opportunity

• 4 or 5 AS levels should be studied in year 12 - breadth of knowledge
• year 13 most students continue 3 subjects to A2 to achieve depth of knowledge
• key skill qualifications - communication, ICT, application of number - key skills valued by employers

evaluation

• studying 4AS + 3A2 scarecly broadens knowledge
• AS levels add extra year of exam stress and reduce teaching time
• lack of time caused many schools to drop key skills, the vocational element. Some recently taken up critical thinking.

• since 2008 another vocational qualification available at some schools/colleges, the 14-19 diploma, study of work-related subject in practical setting with general learning, work experience and research project
• UCAS wary of them and academic students avoid them
• schools encourage students to take extended project part of the qualification
• Michael Gove invitied universities to suggest jpw A-levels can be made more rigorous

• 1998, new labour
• additional funding given to L.A's in disadvantaged areas, to set up breakfast+homework clubs, literacy+numeracy schemes, master classes, special needs teaching, mentors
• intended to increase equality of opportunity
• compensatory education make superficial improvements compared with addresses child poverty

• 2000
• centers for pre-school children & their parents
• helped deprived children develop intellectual and social skills of the m/c
• many closed in coalition cuts

• Labour, 1999
• weekly allowance, 16-19 year olds, low income families, full time education
• promote equality by offsetting the costs of staying on at school instead of seeking paid employment
• 2010 coalition replace with much smaller number of students in greater need
• critics suggest it was a ploy to save money and has disadvantaged many students

• result of parental choice policy establish by ERA
• specialist schools recieve extra findiong to extend teaching in science, technology, or drama
• 2002 - first city academy open - replace failing comprehensive, state funded but private investment allowed and gave power over staff + curriculum etc, allowed to select up to 10% of students - criticised by left
• succesful schools recently encouraged to become academies funded directly from local gov. - not obliged to follow all aspects of national curriculum
• first free school opened 2011 - set up for any age group in area where parents feel there are no schools that meet their requirements - gov. funded but semi independent, can choose own curriculum, hours, holidays

evaluation

• free schools reflect gov. view that variety of schools will raise standards
• free schools and academies may draw funding from other schools
• decisions about what schools need to be in an area and how much funding they recieve should be decided by local authorities to increase equality of provision

• make sure you know educational policy behind each change and it's aims:
• to increase equality?
• raise academic standards?
• increase vocational skills?

• memorise when initiatives began, questions tend to be "after X date"