Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-7-history-of-uk-education-policy

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# History of UK Education Policy

Sociology: AQA GCSE, topic 3.3.7

## History of UK Education Policy

Governments have always tried to make education more inclusive by eliminating impediments to pupils’ progress caused by class, gender, and ethnicity. However, this hasn’t always been successful.

### History of educational reform

![History of educational reform](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/00cd4dfc-aa20-4f29-8f1b-9b3743d6bc76/ball-14-number-fourteen-.jpg)

- Education Act 1870: education had to be provided nationally.
- Education Act 1918: education was now compulsory up to the age of 14.

### History cont.

![History cont.](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-02/59dda621-417a-4b95-9d12-66b011ecc8ff/exam-examination-.jpg)

- Butler Act 1944: education was compulsory up to the age of 15. This Act introduced the tripartite system (grammar schools, secondary modern schools, secondary technical schools).
- 1965: comprehensive schools were introduced.

### History 3

![History 3](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/3d7c4deb-95b2-4486-b934-cc36f349f8bd/exam-writing.jpg)

- Education Reform Act 1988: marketisation was introduced.
- Schools become run like businesses (based on parental choice and competition), with the aim of raising schools’ standards. 
- Some of the changes that this Act brought along are covered in the next section.

## Education Reform Act 1988

This Act introduced marketisation. Schools become run like businesses (based on parental choice and competition) with the aim of raising schools’ standards. There were also other changes made.

### Changes to the national curriculum

![Changes to the national curriculum](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/bfd82912-dd07-4d27-8fa6-d36e7de80285/math-611503_960_720%20(1).jpg)

- All boys and girls had to study English, Maths and Science until the age of 16.

### Changes to league tables

![Changes to league tables](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/20334b5d-1b76-4e02-ba69-a21455d2e814/trigonometry-calculator-maths-.jpg)

- League tables are where the performance (exam results) of schools can be gauged. 
- It was thought that competition for the best place in the league could drive up standards in schools.

### Ofsted

![Ofsted](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/9fb04ff1-af84-4b01-9a61-075637219298/government-expenditure-planning-budget-.jpg)

- (Office for Standards in Education).
- This is the government's inspection and regulation body.

### Changes to finances

![Changes to finances](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/10.4.2%20NPK%20fertilisers/profits-1953616_640-min.jpg)

- Schools can ‘opt out’ of local educational authorities, which means being free to use their finances however they wanted.

### Vocational education

![Vocational education](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/dad641e6-5502-4e63-bd7c-0b06f6514242/band-saw-builder-dt-.jpg)

- Vocational education was reinforced.
- The idea was that pupils would leave school with all the necessary skills for future work.

### Parental choice

![Parental choice](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/491725bb-921e-44ed-84c9-68459868a104/shutterstock_285713771.jpg)

- Parents could choose the school for their children because:
  - They could check the league tables.
  - They could be informed about schools’ activities through open evenings, leaflets and visits on schools’ sites.

## Test yourself on History of UK Education Policy

- The Education Act 1918 made education compulsory up to the age of 14. Later, the Butler Act would make education compulsory up to the age of 15. When was the Butler Act passed?
- The Education Reform Act 1988 introduced marketisation. What other changes were made?
- What is the government's inspection and regulation body called?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/31b5a110-bffe-4156-a620-495a430ceed1/section/40c9b113-c3bf-41aa-adb1-2bc17981fdcd/session)

- Previous topic: [3.3.6 Parental Choice](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-6-parental-choice.md)
- Next topic: [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)

## 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)