Policies on Class, Gender & Ethnicity (AQA A Level Sociology): Revision Note
Exam code: 7192
Summary of the impact of educational policies
This summary outlines how education policies have either promoted inequality or reinforced inequalities for
working-class pupils
ethnic minorities
girls and boys
Class
Policies aimed at increasing opportunities for disadvantaged students | |
|---|---|
1965: Labour | Introduction of the comprehensive school system to promote equality of opportunity in education. |
1998: New Labour | New Deal for young people Education Action Zones (EAZs) created in deprived areas. |
1999: New Labour | Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was a cash incentives for post-16 students from low-income families Sure Start centres launched to support early years in disadvantaged areas. |
2004: New Labour | AimHigher introduced to encourage university participation for working-class students. |
2014: Liberal Democrats under the Coalition government | Pupil premium provided extra funding for children eligible for free school meals. |
Policies that reinforced or increased inequality | |
|---|---|
1944: Conservatives | The tripartite system introduced, where grammar schools favoured middle-class children (Butler Act). |
1988: Conservatives | Marketisation and parental choice gave middle-class families more advantages (Gerwirtz, 1994). |
1998: New Labour | University tuition fees introduced, which discouraged some working-class students from applying to university. |
2010: Coalition government | Expansion of academies expanded, and Free Schools created variation in standards and access. |
2011: Coalition government | The scrapping of EMA and AimHigher. |
2016: Coalition government | High education grants ended and replaced with loans, increasing student debt. |
Ethnicity
Policies aimed at reducing inequality and promoting inclusion | |
|---|---|
1985–1987: Conservatives | Optional PGCE modules on anti-racism and multiculturalism introduced in teacher training. |
1988: Conservatives | Marketisation and parental choice reinforced inequalities as middle-class and White parents were more able to navigate choice systems (Gillborn, 2008). |
1997: New Labour | Education Action Zones (EAZs) and EMAs benefited many students from ethnic minority backgrounds. |
1999: New Labour | Sure Start centres launched, benefiting children from ethnic minority backgrounds. |
2004: New Labour | AimHigher introduced to increase university access for ethnic minority students. |
2007: New Labour | Young, Gifted and Talented programmes found to disproportionately favour White pupils (Gilborn, 2008). |
Gender
Policies aimed at promoting gender equality | |
|---|---|
1975: Labour | Sex Discrimination Act (1975) made gender discrimination illegal in employment and education. |
1980s: Conservatives | Removal of sex stereotyped language, images and examples from textbooks. |
1984: Conservatives | Introduction of policies such as GIST and WISE aimed to tackle gender gaps in STEM. |
1986: Conservatives | Coursework introduced into GCSEs, which favoured girls' learning styles (since changed under new educational reforms from 2015). |
1988: Conservatives | The National Curriculum introduced where boys and girls were required to study the same subjects, reducing gender bias in subject choice (Education Act, 1988). |
1998: New Labour | Teacher training initiatives aimed to challenge gender stereotyping in the classroom. |
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