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1944 Butler Education Act
Education Act of 1944 was implemented by the labour party, reflecting the social optimism following the victory and peace of the world war. The main implementations of this Act included:
• Moving away from the elementary schooling of ages 4 – 15 and establishing primary and secondary schools
• Introduction of the eleven plus exam to determine which secondary was most suited for the child; one of three as part of the tripartite system
• Free, compulsory education up to the age of fifteen. -
Period: to
Timeline Directed Task
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Crowther Report
The Crowther Report highlighted the need to have a range of sixth form courses to allow more young adults to go on to further education. This would lessen the waste of talent, which Crowther found, amongst working class school leavers. As a result an exam targeted for students of a lower ability was written and implemented. -
Circular 10/65
Children leaving primary schools were no longer required to take an eleven plus exam to determine their aptitude. It was the aim of the labour governement to eliminate differentiation between the different types of secondary schools. -
Circular 10/70
Schools were not required to fulfil the role of providing a 'comprehensive' education with the implementation of this circular. There was no pressure or requirement that secondary education had to strive to adopt any measures to provide an education similar to what was outlined by grammar schools. -
School leaving age raised to sixteen
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Employment and Training Act
Working alongside the Manpower and Services Commision the Department for Trade and Industry launched an initiative to tackle the problem of youth unemployment. Youth Training Schemes were constructed and implemented. -
Race and Relations Act
Grant schools which were established since 1925, educating mainly middle class children who received a direct grant from the central governement were abolished. All schools were required to be inclusive of pupils from a range of backgrounds including dissabilities of any range (Tomlinson 2008,p.50) -
Assisted Places Scheme
The assisted places scheme was a Conservative Government initiative to provide working class pupils with a high quality private education. Pupils who scored highly on their eleven plus exam were offered a free or highly discounted place at a private school. This law provided some social mobility but failed to allow anything more than that, Studies proved middle class families benefitting as opposed to the targeted working class (Laura Clark, 2010). -
The Education Act
The Act regards the group of children who have "special educational needs" and the requirements outlined to LEA's the "special educational provisions" required (legislation.gov.uk). It is the duty of the LEA to identify, assess and produce a statement outlining the needs of the pupil. Parents were also given a right to appeal against any statements and pupils were allowed to stay in mainstream schools as long as it didn’t jeopardise their needs from being met. -
National Council; for Vocational Qulaification
Qualifications were introduced to attribute skills and qualities desired by employers. This initiative grew to be very popular in schools and colleges, having many other qualifications stemming from it. -
Education Reform Act
The Act involved the blue prints of the National Curriculum, stating the core subjects to be taught up to the age of sixteen. National tests known as SAT's were introduced at ages five, seven and eleven, indicative of school quality. The National Curriculum aimed to provide for all pupils to learn and achieve. As well as outlining spiritual, moral, social and cultural development to produce proactive members of society. The aims of the national curriculum are still relevent today. -
OFSTED
Office for Standards in Education established to monitor schools. Schools were/are assessed on the quality of education delivered, by inspecting teachers and learners. As well as monitoring any relevant issues such as equality. The guidelines used by OFSTED to evaluate schools have been revised since 1992 but aim to provide a rigorous evaluation on a school’s value for money; providing targets for improvement if required. -
Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs
An appointed special educational needs co-ordinator appointed in every school to provide clarity on the outlines characteristics which qualify as a special educational need of a pupil. -
Disability Discrimination Act
Any discrimination against disabled pupils or prospective disabled pupils was made unlawful. -
First day of school
I started English schooling at five years old therefore I went straight to reception class. I remember not knowing any english and being on my own during break and lunch until finally I made friends. -
White Paper: Excellence in Schools
In the publication of the government document, White Paper: Excellence in Schools, there is a lot of emphasis on early years and primary schooling. 'Literacy hour' was introduced to all primary schools. I remember reaching junior school and having a lengthy lesson of literacy every day. I feel I have benefitted from the literacy hour, because I was given more time to practice my literacy skills under supervision. This was a great help for me especially because English is not my first language. -
Abolotion of Assisted Places Scheme
When the Labour Party came to power, Tony Blair's first reform of education was the abolition of the assisted places scheme. There was also a limit of thirty pupils in each primary school class. Coming from a working class background where I attended state schools, throughout all of my schooling I have always been in a class of thirty pupils. -
Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG)
The EMAG was a government incentive to raise achievements of ethnic minority groups, LEAs which qualify for the grant were required to acknowledge this issue in their “school-improvement system”. Robust procedures were required to be put in place to ensure no one from an ethnic minority was failed by the education system. Although I wasn’t under achieving I was part of an ethnic minority. I believe I was taken into account and provided for through this scheme. -
School Standards and Framework Act
Schools were placed in new categories; CommDirected Tasky, Foundation, Voluntary Aided and Voluntary Controlled. The criterion for schools is still in place today. I went to a Voluntary Aided, Church of England School. The historical link to with The Church of England educated me in a branch of Christianity. I regularly attended Eucharist, assemblies and Church visits. Personally I think this has had a positive influence as it nurtured me into being open minded. -
SureStart
SureStart is a programme which runs in areas of social deprivation to provide support for 0-3 year olds. I remember my younger brother being entitled to a SureStart starter pack. The pack included a lot of reading materials for the parent/carer and some children's books. Literacy skills were encouraged and emphasised. -
Transition from Comprehensive School to Specialist Status Schools
The secondary school that I went to was one of the first few specialist schools in the country. With performing arts as it's specialism school life and timetable was very much revolving around theatre, dance and music performances. The school received state of the art studios and art equipment. As a pupil I was intrigued by the new buildings and technology, hence I was more inclined to pick art subjects for my GCSEs. -
Secondary School
I was a pupil of The Kings C of E School. Religion was promoted during tutor sessions and assemblies through themes, prayers and eucharists. There was also a great emphasis on using the faith centre, open to all religions, to pray during free time. -
Builidng Schools for the Future
The government initiative launched to rebuild, refurbish or remodel three thousand five hundred schools nationwide aimed to support schools and families in education attainment. However when the Conservative Party came to power not all schools were quick enough to have taken advantage of this scheme, The BSF programme was due to run over twenty years but was discarded after seven. -
Five Year Strategy for Children and Learning
• All schools would be given specialist status
• Head teachers were given power to set budgets, pay and pupil selection
• Failing schools were made to become academies where as successful schools including grammar schools were given the opportunity to increase in students numbers
• Set standards for teachers initial and continual professional development -
The Children Act
Following the death of Victoria Climbie, a tragic loss and failure of many organisations, legislation was bought in to attempt to protect children. The local authorities and organisations were required to cooperate and work alongside one another in order to provide the best services for children and young adults. -
Education Act
The Act placed considerable pressure on teachers as the teacher training agency (TTA) now became the Training and Development Agency (TDA) for schools which was responsible for professionalism of the whole school workforce.
Local Authorities were also required to take more responsibility for children living in care. They were also required to set performance targets for every child they were responsible for. -
Left Secondary School
I left school at sixteen, having passed all of my GCSE's. -
Started College
I completed my A Level courses at City of Wolverhampton College. -
Education Act
School leaving age was raised to eighteen years. Young adults are given options to branch into areas of interests but they are required to remain in school. Their options include: apprenticeships, part-time education, volunteering or self employed for more than twenty hours a week. Eleven to sixteen year olds will receive an improved careers education. -
Renewed National Curriculum
The key stage three national curriculum was edited and implemented with the Year Seven intake of 2008. -
Minor Changes to Key Stage Three Curriculum
End of key stage three exams were scrapped after some minor changes to the curriculum were made. -
Higher Education
Fewer places in higher education instituitions combined with a dramatic increase in tuition fees.