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The Butler Education Act
The Education Act intended to create a fairer education system that provided equal opportunities for all. Rab Butler implemented a triparte system that offered three types of education to those above the age of 11. This included grammar schools for the most academically gifted, technical schools for pupils with a specific skill and secondary modern schools for the remainder of the child population. Butler gave LEAs greater control over the curriculum and resources. -
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Educational Reform
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Clement Attlee and the Triparte System
In 1945 Labour leader, Clement Attlee, became Prime Minister. Britain was in desperate need of reconstruction following the war and Attlee's government focused on maintaining the triparte system of schooling that was already in place. -
Return of the Conservatives - 'the wind of change'
As of 1951, the Conservatives returned to power for the second time under the leadership of Winston Churchill. The party remained in power for 13 years and Churchill was superseded by Harold Macmillan who talked of 'the wind of change' in educational policy (Gillard, D. 2011). The public demanded a more child-centered style of education. -
Harold Wilson and Labour Liberalism
Harold Wilson became Prime Minister in 1964 and was renowned for his social liberalism. Wilson recognised that comprehensive schools created social cohesion and thus promised to abolish the selective process found within secondary schools. Yet, Wilson failed on two occassions to establish a fully comprehensive system as his policies did not explicitly force LEAs to adhere to the disregard of the selection process. -
Experimentation in the 1960s
Throughout the 1960s a more experimential attitude towards education manifested with an 'emphasis on individualisation and learning through discovery" (Gillard. D, 2011). The abolition of the 11+ granted greater freedom to primary schools to educate their pupils according to specific needs and requirements. -
The Conservatives and disenchantment with education
The Prime Minister, Edward Heath, called for greater cuts in the education department in order to curb huge inflation, high unemployment rates and defecit payments. Heath and the Conservatives became disenchanted with the comprehensive system and fought for the right to reestablish the supremacy of grammar schools. -
James Callaghan and the 'Great Debate'
In 1976 Labour leader, James Callaghan, became Prime Minister and issued a great debate where all those involved in education could voice their concerns. He highlighted how Britain was incapable of surviving in the global market and thus emphasised the importance of education in establishing skilled individuals. -
Thatcher and marketisation
Margaret Thatcher's policies were ultimately elitist and drew upon past traditions. The two main aims of her edcucation policy were to "convert the nation's school systems from a public service into a market and to transfer power from local authorities to central government" (Gillard. D, 2011). Thatcher intended to control how much the government could intervene in the National Curriculum and reduce the power that LEAs were given. -
John Major and 'The Three Wise Men' report
John Major's government was equally as harsh as Margaret Thatcher concerning the process of selection and elitism. 'The Three Wise Men' report produced in 1992 suggested that whole class teaching methods and setting based on ability should play a great role in the English education system. Major aimed to subvert the support that comprehensive education received from the public by coverting the process of 'selection' into 'specialisation' making it appear as if the government catered for all. -
Tony Blair and drastic reform?
The general public believed that under Labour leader, Tony Blair, secondary selection would finally be abolished. However, Blair appeared to further implement the Conservative principles of marketisation and globalisation. It was clear that Blair's policies barely differed from the 1988 Education Act which favoured parental choice and competition. Blair masked selection as 'specialisation' and promoted the privatisation of schools into academies that would be funded by private investors. -
Ed Balls and the Children's Plan
Under the Gordon Brown regime, Ed Balls published the 'Children's Plan' in which he hoped to help those pupils who came from impoverished backgrounds. He intended to cater for all the needs a child might have, including emotional, behavioural and economics problems. -
Michael Gove and traditional methods
Michael Gove, the 2010 Minister of Education, insisted on reverting back to traditional methods of teaching which focused on the acquisition of fact based knowledge. He disregarded the vocational aspect of education, arguing that this lead to a decline in standards. He put forward plans for an English Baccalaureat, a qualification for students who passed a GCSE in English, maths, one science, one foreign language and one humanity. Gove also sought to expand the number of academies. -
Ed Balls and Vocational Diplomas
By the end of 2011, Ed Balls intended to diversify the education system by implementing a range of vocational diplomas that students could obtain in subjects such as engineering, science and IT. Ed Balls proposed plans to drop A Levels and GCSEs depending on the success of the diplomas.