Outline the Main State Policies on Education from 1870 Onwards and Discuss the Effect They Have Had on the Role of Education and Students
Discuss the main state policies on education from 1870 onwards and discuss the effect they have had on the role of education and students’ experience of education from a sociological perspective.
‘In Britain, free compulsory education conducted in formal institutions staffed by full time professionals began in 1870’ (Haralambos, M, 1995, p.725) this was when The Forster’s Education Act 1870 came into place, in 1880 attendance became compulsory until the age of ten followed by The Fisher Education Act of 1918 making attendance compulsory until the age of fourteen, 1947 saw this raised to fifteen and finally in 1972 this was raised to sixteen.
In 1944 the Butler’s education Act established a tri-partite system of secondary education for all, children would take an 11+ examination (intelligence test) which would result in them attending one of three types of schools; grammar, technical or secondary modern. ‘The 15-20 percent of children with the best 11+ exam results went to grammar schools, with most children going to secondary modern schools, there were hardly any technical schools established.’ (Browne, K., 2011, p.175)
Some advantages of the tri-partite system include; it was set up so that children could receive an education based on their ability rather than their parent’s ability to pay, ensuring everyone can develop their potential, it encourages economic growth and some social democratic theorists argue that this system also promotes equality of opportunity as the results are based on everyone taking the same test.
Disadvantages of the tri-partite system include; the 11+ doesn’t take into account individual circumstances, it created low self-esteem amongst the children as being selected for a low status school could, in turn, result in the child believing that they are not good enough leading to low educational attainment. The 11+ also discriminated against girls; it was official policy to mark down girl’s scores.
In 1974 the Labour Government
‘In Britain, free compulsory education conducted in formal institutions staffed by full time professionals began in 1870’ (Haralambos, M, 1995, p.725) this was when The Forster’s Education Act 1870 came into place, in 1880 attendance became compulsory until the age of ten followed by The Fisher Education Act of 1918 making attendance compulsory until the age of fourteen, 1947 saw this raised to fifteen and finally in 1972 this was raised to sixteen.
In 1944 the Butler’s education Act established a tri-partite system of secondary education for all, children would take an 11+ examination (intelligence test) which would result in them attending one of three types of schools; grammar, technical or secondary modern. ‘The 15-20 percent of children with the best 11+ exam results went to grammar schools, with most children going to secondary modern schools, there were hardly any technical schools established.’ (Browne, K., 2011, p.175)
Some advantages of the tri-partite system include; it was set up so that children could receive an education based on their ability rather than their parent’s ability to pay, ensuring everyone can develop their potential, it encourages economic growth and some social democratic theorists argue that this system also promotes equality of opportunity as the results are based on everyone taking the same test.
Disadvantages of the tri-partite system include; the 11+ doesn’t take into account individual circumstances, it created low self-esteem amongst the children as being selected for a low status school could, in turn, result in the child believing that they are not good enough leading to low educational attainment. The 11+ also discriminated against girls; it was official policy to mark down girl’s scores.
In 1974 the Labour Government