education
, To what extent were educational opportunities widened in the years 1944-79?
Overall, there was a series of educational opportunities between 1944-79 that
widened the oppurtunities for all to have a free education. From the Butler act and the
beginning of a progressive education, we are seeing an education system being inclusive for
all. However, having said this, we do see that there are criticisms, such as funding and social
class divisions occurring early on.
The first way in which we see progression of educational opportunities was through
the butler act. The Butler act, created by R.A Butler, put into place the tripartite system. The
tripartite system allocated students into one of three types of secondary schools through
taking the 11+ exam. Technical schools specialised in mechanical and technical education,
which enabled children to gain skills for trade work. Only 5% went there due to the cost of
such an education. Secondary moderns gave a general education that prepared children for
life and different types of work. 70% of students went there and enabled pupils to leave
school with a certificate of education at 15. Grammar schools provided a highly academic
education in things like pure maths, english literature and classics. 205 of pupils went there
and most students after the age of 15 stayed on for a non compulsory year and took o-levels
at 16. Many went onto a levels and university. The Butler Act increased the leaving age to 15
and for the first time gave working class children a free education which would help them
prepare for the real world. It aimed to be a parity of esteem, even though that wasn't the
case. In reality, grammar schools enjoyed extra funding that was put in place for poorer
students and the closing of technical schools, treating the 11+ exam as a pass/fail test, with
those who failed the test being condemned to an inferior education at a secondary modern.
A criticism of this is the gender divide within the education system. Even though both
boys and girls partook in similar lessons at grammar schools and secondary modern,
however there were still some differences. Girls partook in things like needlework lessons,
home economics and lessons on how to be a good mother, housewife and hostess,
meanwhile their male counterparts did woodwork and metalwork. In grammar schools, girls
were encouraged to partake in the arts and languages rather than the sciences and
mathematics. These differences clearly reflected the expectations of boys and girls in terms
of paths upon leaving school and in further education: boys were expected to find careers
and go into university, meanwhile girls were expected to settle down for marriage and
motherhood. If girls did go to university or have careers, they were expected to go into things
like cleaning and teaching or to do subjects within the arts and languages realm. However,
single sex schools did allow for educational attainment of both boys and girls without the
distraction of one another.
The second way in which we see the progression of educational opportunities was
through the crossland circular. The crosland circular transformed the secondary education
system from the tripartite system into a comprehensive system, which enabled all abilities
and all classes to mix without there being inequalities. It also pushed to abolish the 11+
exams and challenged the idea that a child’s academic ability was fixed at the age of 11.
They believed that it was academically unsound to determine a child’s future just in 1 exam
alone. It also built the foundation of the game, as it saw the flaws of having the cse and o
level as separate exams. This resulted in the increase of academic attainment and saw the
increase of people going to university as more opportunities were put in place to enable that
to happen. The crosland circular also had an impact on primary education and early years
through project based work rather than teacher led in primary and the concept of learning
through play in early years. However, comprehensive education remained controversial as
critics argued that educational standards dropped, despite it not always being the case. The
, To what extent were educational opportunities widened in the years 1944-79?
Overall, there was a series of educational opportunities between 1944-79 that
widened the oppurtunities for all to have a free education. From the Butler act and the
beginning of a progressive education, we are seeing an education system being inclusive for
all. However, having said this, we do see that there are criticisms, such as funding and social
class divisions occurring early on.
The first way in which we see progression of educational opportunities was through
the butler act. The Butler act, created by R.A Butler, put into place the tripartite system. The
tripartite system allocated students into one of three types of secondary schools through
taking the 11+ exam. Technical schools specialised in mechanical and technical education,
which enabled children to gain skills for trade work. Only 5% went there due to the cost of
such an education. Secondary moderns gave a general education that prepared children for
life and different types of work. 70% of students went there and enabled pupils to leave
school with a certificate of education at 15. Grammar schools provided a highly academic
education in things like pure maths, english literature and classics. 205 of pupils went there
and most students after the age of 15 stayed on for a non compulsory year and took o-levels
at 16. Many went onto a levels and university. The Butler Act increased the leaving age to 15
and for the first time gave working class children a free education which would help them
prepare for the real world. It aimed to be a parity of esteem, even though that wasn't the
case. In reality, grammar schools enjoyed extra funding that was put in place for poorer
students and the closing of technical schools, treating the 11+ exam as a pass/fail test, with
those who failed the test being condemned to an inferior education at a secondary modern.
A criticism of this is the gender divide within the education system. Even though both
boys and girls partook in similar lessons at grammar schools and secondary modern,
however there were still some differences. Girls partook in things like needlework lessons,
home economics and lessons on how to be a good mother, housewife and hostess,
meanwhile their male counterparts did woodwork and metalwork. In grammar schools, girls
were encouraged to partake in the arts and languages rather than the sciences and
mathematics. These differences clearly reflected the expectations of boys and girls in terms
of paths upon leaving school and in further education: boys were expected to find careers
and go into university, meanwhile girls were expected to settle down for marriage and
motherhood. If girls did go to university or have careers, they were expected to go into things
like cleaning and teaching or to do subjects within the arts and languages realm. However,
single sex schools did allow for educational attainment of both boys and girls without the
distraction of one another.
The second way in which we see the progression of educational opportunities was
through the crossland circular. The crosland circular transformed the secondary education
system from the tripartite system into a comprehensive system, which enabled all abilities
and all classes to mix without there being inequalities. It also pushed to abolish the 11+
exams and challenged the idea that a child’s academic ability was fixed at the age of 11.
They believed that it was academically unsound to determine a child’s future just in 1 exam
alone. It also built the foundation of the game, as it saw the flaws of having the cse and o
level as separate exams. This resulted in the increase of academic attainment and saw the
increase of people going to university as more opportunities were put in place to enable that
to happen. The crosland circular also had an impact on primary education and early years
through project based work rather than teacher led in primary and the concept of learning
through play in early years. However, comprehensive education remained controversial as
critics argued that educational standards dropped, despite it not always being the case. The
