How has the UK education system changed?

The UK education system has undergone significant transformations since the 1944 Education Act, which established the tripartite system of grammar, secondary modern, and technical schools. This topic explores key policy shifts, including the move towards comprehensive schooling in the 1960s and 1970s, the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1988, and the expansion of academies and free schools since 2010. Understanding these changes is crucial for analysing how education policy reflects broader social, economic, and political ideologies, such as neoliberalism and the marketisation of education.

Sociologists examine how these reforms have impacted social class inequalities, gender differences, and ethnic disparities in educational achievement. For example, the 1988 Education Reform Act introduced parental choice and competition between schools, which critics argue has increased segregation by ability and social class. More recent policies, such as the Pupil Premium and the expansion of university technical colleges, aim to address these inequalities but have had mixed results. This topic also links to debates about the purpose of education: whether it should promote social mobility, economic efficiency, or social cohesion.

For OCR A-Level Sociology, this topic falls under the 'Education' component, where you are expected to evaluate sociological perspectives (functionalist, Marxist, feminist, and New Right) on educational change. You should be able to discuss specific policies, their intended and unintended consequences, and how they relate to wider social structures. Mastering this topic will help you critically analyse contemporary issues like the impact of COVID-19 on education or the debate over grammar schools.