Sociology AQA –
Education 2026 | Study
Guide, Practice Questions,
Answers, Rationales &
Exam Review
Updated Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales
Included
, Particularistic standards Children are not judged by a clear measure of achievement
Universalistic standards Children are judged by a clear measure of achievement and are compared to other
children
Durkheim 1) Promotes social solidarity
2) Prepares young people
Parsons 1) Secondary socialisation = education teaches universalistic standards and acts as
a bridge between family and wider society
2) Meritocracy = a meritocratic society is built on 2 key values:
+Individual achievement
+Equal opportunity
Davis and Moore Role allocation = for society to function effectively, the most talented individuals
need to be allocated to the most important jobs
Evaluation of the functionalist view + Hargreaves argues that schools put more of an emphasis on competition than
social solidarity
+ Ascribed characteristics are more important in determining income later in life
than achievement in school
+ Education is not meritocratic because schools discriminate against some groups
e.g. w/c, black pupils
Althusser + ISA = control people's beliefs and ideas indirectly e.g. religion, the mass media
and education
+ RSA = physical force used by the state to repress the w/c e.g. police, courts and
the army
Education 2026 | Study
Guide, Practice Questions,
Answers, Rationales &
Exam Review
Updated Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales
Included
, Particularistic standards Children are not judged by a clear measure of achievement
Universalistic standards Children are judged by a clear measure of achievement and are compared to other
children
Durkheim 1) Promotes social solidarity
2) Prepares young people
Parsons 1) Secondary socialisation = education teaches universalistic standards and acts as
a bridge between family and wider society
2) Meritocracy = a meritocratic society is built on 2 key values:
+Individual achievement
+Equal opportunity
Davis and Moore Role allocation = for society to function effectively, the most talented individuals
need to be allocated to the most important jobs
Evaluation of the functionalist view + Hargreaves argues that schools put more of an emphasis on competition than
social solidarity
+ Ascribed characteristics are more important in determining income later in life
than achievement in school
+ Education is not meritocratic because schools discriminate against some groups
e.g. w/c, black pupils
Althusser + ISA = control people's beliefs and ideas indirectly e.g. religion, the mass media
and education
+ RSA = physical force used by the state to repress the w/c e.g. police, courts and
the army
