The impact of social policies on education

    AQA
    GCSE

    Candidates must analyse the evolution of UK education policy from 1944 to the present, focusing on the ideological shift from Social Democratic perspectives (equality of opportunity) to New Right Neoliberalism (marketisation and privatisation). Responses must evaluate the impact of these policies on differential achievement across social class, gender, and ethnicity. Critical engagement with the tension between raising standards and reducing inequality is essential for top-band marks.

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    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    3
    Pitfalls
    3
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award marks for explicit linkage of the 1988 Education Reform Act to New Right ideology and the concept of 'parentocracy'.
    • Credit responses that distinguish between the theoretical aim of the Comprehensive System (equality of opportunity) and its practical limitations (streaming/setting).
    • Candidates must apply specific New Labour policies (e.g., Sure Start, EMA) to the concept of compensatory education and tackling material deprivation.
    • High-level responses must critique Coalition policies (Academies, Free Schools) using Marxist arguments regarding the privatization of education and 'cola-isation'.

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for explicit linkage of the 1988 Education Reform Act to New Right ideology and the concept of 'parentocracy'.
    • Credit responses that distinguish between the theoretical aim of the Comprehensive System (equality of opportunity) and its practical limitations (streaming/setting).
    • Candidates must apply specific New Labour policies (e.g., Sure Start, EMA) to the concept of compensatory education and tackling material deprivation.
    • High-level responses must critique Coalition policies (Academies, Free Schools) using Marxist arguments regarding the privatization of education and 'cola-isation'.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡For 'Discuss how far' questions, structure the response with a clear 'For' and 'Against' argument, ensuring the conclusion directly answers the extent of the impact.
    • 💡When using the Item, explicitly quote the relevant phrase and immediately follow with 'This suggests that...' to secure AO2 application marks.
    • 💡Differentiate between 'exogenous' (external) and 'endogenous' (internal) policy impacts when analyzing differential achievement.
    • 💡Allocate strictly 1 minute per mark; spend no more than 12-15 minutes on the final 12-mark essay to ensure completion.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Conflating the 11+ examination with modern entrance exams or failing to associate it strictly with the 1944 Tripartite System.
    • Describing 'marketisation' generally without citing specific mechanisms like League Tables, Formula Funding, or Open Enrolment.
    • Asserting that the Comprehensive system completely abolished selection, ignoring the persistence of internal selection via setting and streaming.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Identify
    Describe
    Explain
    Discuss
    Evaluate
    To what extent

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