Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-5-state-and-private-schools

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [Sociology](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa.md) › State & Private Schools

# State & Private Schools

Sociology: AQA GCSE, topic 3.1.5

## Arguments for Private Education

State schools are funded by the government. Private schools are funded by parents who wish to send their children to these schools. They are also called independent or public schools.

### Facilities

![Facilities](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/d58788ed-986f-4001-8e4c-ac2e2aee06ab/shutterstock_268247162.jpg)

- The size of the class: 
  - Private schools offer smaller class sizes and teachers can focus more on the pupils as there is a better teacher-pupil ratio.
- The facilities: 
  - Facilities are better as parents pay fees. 
  - The school’s budget is higher and the school is free to spend its budget according to their needs.

### Curriculum

![Curriculum](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/physics/1.4.2%20Equilibrium/see-saw-min%20-%20Edited.jpg)

- Curriculum: 
  - They don’t have to follow the official/national curriculum, and so they can focus on certain subjects. 
   - The informal learning might be better. This is where pupils learn necessary skills for life which later on will put them at an advantage in comparison to their peers.

### Ethos

![Ethos](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/5b954411-8888-4d5e-91b7-b0cc7f83747b/shutterstock_322337921.jpg)

- Work ethic: 
  - These schools have a positive work ethic where academic subjects are put in priority.
- Results: 
  - They tend to have higher grades in comparison to alternative provision.

### Next steps

![Next steps](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/3.1.4%20-%20Concentation%20and.../two-beakers-min.jpg)

- Access to universities: 
  - Better results means that they have better chances of being admitted to top universities.
- Jobs: 
  - Better universities mean better jobs, highly paid, high-status careers.

## Arguments Against Private Education

State schools are funded by the government. Private schools are funded by parents who wish to send their children to these schools. They are also called independent and public schools.

### Inequality

![Inequality](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/efdc51d9-f712-4476-b400-7c2f0acfe754/graduation-college-university-education.jpg)

- Inequalities: 
 - Private schools feed the inequalities in society.
 - Parents who can afford private education will send their children there. 
 - As a result, they will receive a better education, giving them better chances of getting into the best universities, and getting the best jobs later in life.

### Division

![Division](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-02/3e6125c9-52a8-4b20-877a-a2a454206cec/ladder-success-climb-.jpg)

- Division: 
  - Private education perpetuates social division.
  - In other words, those who can afford it will remain at the top of the hierarchy whereas those who cannot get fewer or lesser opportunities.

### Neglect

![Neglect](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/OCR%20Gateway/cash.jpg)

- State education is neglected:
  - If parents who give their money and interest to private schools allocated all this energy and resources to state education, the latter would be much better, and all pupils would benefit.

## Test yourself on State & Private Schools

- What are some characteristics of private schools?
- Private schools offer smaller class sizes and teachers which means that teachers can focus more on pupils. This is known as a better what?
- What are a few arguments against private education?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/31b5a110-bffe-4156-a620-495a430ceed1/section/27983703-bb2e-4911-96ac-ec3229022be6/session)

- Previous topic: [3.1.4 Alternative Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-4-alternative-education.md)
- Next topic: [3.2.1 Internal Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-2-1-internal-processes.md)

## Sociology: AQA GCSE contents

### 1 The Sociological Approach
- 1.1 Introduction to Sociology
  - [1.1.1 What is Sociology?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-1-1-what-is-sociology.md)
  - [1.1.2 Culture & Socialisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-1-2-culture-and-socialisation.md)
- 1.2 Sociological Approaches
  - [1.2.1 Marxism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-1-marxism.md)
  - [1.2.2 Marxism 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-2-marxism-2.md)
  - [1.2.3 Functionalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-3-functionalism.md)
  - [1.2.4 Feminism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-4-feminism.md)
- 1.3 The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate
  - [1.3.1 The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-3-1-the-consensus-vs-conflict-debate.md)
  - [1.3.2 End of Topic Test - The Sociological Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-3-2-end-of-topic-test-the-sociological-approach.md)

### 2 Families
- 2.1 Functions of Families
  - [2.1.1 Functionalist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-1-functionalist-views-on-family.md)
  - [2.1.2 Marxist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-2-marxist-views-on-family.md)
  - [2.1.3 Feminist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-3-feminist-views-on-family.md)
- 2.2 Family Forms
  - [2.2.1 What is a Family?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-1-what-is-a-family.md)
  - [2.2.2 Nuclear Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-2-nuclear-family.md)
  - [2.2.3 Families in a Global Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-3-families-in-a-global-context.md)
  - [2.2.4 The Rapoports & Family Diversity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-4-the-rapoports-and-family-diversity.md)
  - [2.2.5 Causes of Family Diversity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-5-causes-of-family-diversity.md)
  - [2.2.6 End of Topic Test - Family Forms](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-6-end-of-topic-test-family-forms.md)
- 2.3 Conjugal Role Relationships
  - [2.3.1 Conjugal Roles](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-3-1-conjugal-roles.md)
- 2.4 Changing Relationships Within Families
  - [2.4.1 Timeline](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-1-timeline.md)
  - [2.4.2 Domestic Abuse](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-2-domestic-abuse.md)
  - [2.4.3 Symmetrical Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-3-symmetrical-family.md)
- 2.5 Criticisms of Families
  - [2.5.1 Functionalist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-1-functionalist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.2 Marxist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-2-marxist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.3 Feminist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-3-feminist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.4 Declining Marriage Rate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-4-declining-marriage-rate.md)
  - [2.5.5 End of Topic Test - Criticisms of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-5-end-of-topic-test-criticisms-of-families.md)
- 2.6 Divorce
  - [2.6.1 Reasons For Rise in Divorce Rate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-1-reasons-for-rise-in-divorce-rate.md)
  - [2.6.2 Consequences of Divorce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-2-consequences-of-divorce.md)
  - [2.6.3 Functionalist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-3-functionalist-views.md)
  - [2.6.4 Marxist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-4-marxist-views.md)
  - [2.6.5 Feminist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-5-feminist-views.md)
  - [2.6.6 End of Topic Test - Divorce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-6-end-of-topic-test-divorce.md)

### 3 Education
- 3.1 Roles & Functions of Education
  - [3.1.1 The Functionalist Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-1-the-functionalist-approach.md)
  - [3.1.2 Evaluating Different Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-2-evaluating-different-perspectives.md)
  - [3.1.3 Types of School](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-3-types-of-school.md)
  - [3.1.4 Alternative Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-4-alternative-education.md)
  - [3.1.5 State & Private Schools](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-5-state-and-private-schools.md)
- 3.2 Processes Within Schools
  - [3.2.1 Internal Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-2-1-internal-processes.md)
  - [3.2.2 External Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-2-2-external-processes.md)
- 3.3 Educational Achievement
  - [3.3.1 Measuring Educational Success](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-1-measuring-educational-success.md)
  - [3.3.2 Social Class & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-2-social-class-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.3 Social Class & External Factors](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-3-social-class-and-external-factors.md)
  - [3.3.4 Gender & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-4-gender-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.5 Ethnicity & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-5-ethnicity-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.6 Parental Choice](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-6-parental-choice.md)
  - [3.3.7 History of UK Education Policy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-7-history-of-uk-education-policy.md)
  - [3.3.8 Recent UK Education Policy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-8-recent-uk-education-policy.md)
  - [3.3.9 End of Topic Test - Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-9-end-of-topic-test-education.md)

### 4 Crime & Deviance
- 4.1 The Social Construction of Crime
  - [4.1.1 Defining Crime & Deviance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-1-defining-crime-and-deviance.md)
  - [4.1.2 Sociological Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-2-sociological-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.1.3 Interactionist Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-3-interactionist-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.1.4 Alternative Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-4-alternative-explanations-of-crime.md)
- 4.2 Social Control
  - [4.2.1 Informal Social Control](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-1-informal-social-control.md)
  - [4.2.2 Formal Social Control](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-2-formal-social-control.md)
  - [4.2.3 End of Topic Test - Social Construction of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-3-end-of-topic-test-social-construction-of-crime.md)
- 4.3 Criminal & Deviant Behaviour
  - [4.3.1 Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-1-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.3.2 Social Class & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-2-social-class-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.3 Gender & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-3-gender-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.4 Ethnicity & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-4-ethnicity-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.5 Age & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-5-age-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.6 Criminal Responsibility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-6-criminal-responsibility.md)
  - [4.3.7 The Prison System](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-7-the-prison-system.md)
  - [4.3.8 Media Reporting of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-8-media-reporting-of-crime.md)
  - [4.3.9 Functionalist Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-9-functionalist-explanations-of-crime.md)
- 4.4 Data on Crime
  - [4.4.1 Measuring Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-4-1-measuring-crime.md)
  - [4.4.2 End of Topic Test - Criminal & Deviant Behaviour](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-4-2-end-of-topic-test-criminal-and-deviant-behaviour.md)

### 5 Social Stratification
- 5.1 Social Stratification
  - [5.1.1 What is Social Stratification?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-1-what-is-social-stratification.md)
  - [5.1.2 Functionalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-2-functionalism.md)
  - [5.1.3 Socio-Economic Class](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-3-socio-economic-class.md)
  - [5.1.4 Socio-Economic Class 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-4-socio-economic-class-2.md)
  - [5.1.5 Life Chances](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-5-life-chances.md)
  - [5.1.6 The Affluent Worker](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-6-the-affluent-worker.md)
  - [5.1.7 End of Topic Test - Social Stratifictaion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-7-end-of-topic-test-social-stratifictaion.md)
- 5.2 Poverty as a Social Issue
  - [5.2.1 Defining Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-1-defining-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.2 Factors Affecting Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-2-factors-affecting-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.3 Explanations of Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-3-explanations-of-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.4 Impact of Globalisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-4-impact-of-globalisation.md)
  - [5.2.5 End of Topic Test - Poverty as a Social Issue](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-5-end-of-topic-test-poverty-as-a-social-issue.md)
- 5.3 Power & Authority
  - [5.3.1 Weber](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-1-weber.md)
  - [5.3.2 Sociological Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-2-sociological-perspectives.md)
  - [5.3.3 Power Relationships](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-3-power-relationships.md)
  - [5.3.4 End of Topic Test - Power & Authority](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-4-end-of-topic-test-power-and-authority.md)

### 6 Sociological Research Methods
- 6.1 Research Methods
  - [6.1.1 Research Design](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-1-research-design.md)
  - [6.1.2 The Scientific Method](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-2-the-scientific-method.md)
  - [6.1.3 Other Considerations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-3-other-considerations.md)
  - [6.1.4 Primary Sources](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-4-primary-sources.md)
  - [6.1.5 Secondary Sources](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-5-secondary-sources.md)
  - [6.1.6 Surveys](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-6-surveys.md)
  - [6.1.7 Sampling](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-7-sampling.md)
  - [6.1.8 Questionnaires](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-8-questionnaires.md)
  - [6.1.9 Interviews](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-9-interviews.md)
  - [6.1.10 Observation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-10-observation.md)
  - [6.1.11 Statistics](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-11-statistics.md)
  - [6.1.12 Case Studies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-12-case-studies.md)
  - [6.1.13 Longitudinal Studies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-13-longitudinal-studies.md)
  - [6.1.14 Ethnography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-14-ethnography.md)
  - [6.1.15 Experiments](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-15-experiments.md)
  - [6.1.16 Small Scale Research](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-16-small-scale-research.md)
  - [6.1.17 End of Topic Test - Research Methods](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-17-end-of-topic-test-research-methods.md)
