How the Education System is Organised in Britain (AQA GCSE Sociology)

Revision Note

Written by: Raj Bonsor

In Britain, there are numerous types of schools, colleges, and educational provision available:

Pre-school or early years education	Primary school reception classes, playgroups, or day nurseries can all offer care and education for children under 5 years. The state may pay for this care, or parents may choose to cover the cost.
Primary education	Infant and junior schools that are mixed-sex or co-educational take children aged 5–11 years. Most primary education is provided by the state, but some schools are private, and fees must be paid.
Secondary education	Schools that are either mixed-sex or single-sex that take children aged 11-16 years. Some have sixth forms attached and educate children up to age 18 years. Most secondary education is provided by the state in comprehensive schools, but some are private fee-paying schools. Students can also attend grammar, free or faith schools.
Further education (FE)	FE mainly caters for young people aged 16 years and above, where students can study for a range of qualifications offered by sixth forms and FE colleges. Students can take A-Levels, BTECs or skills training courses and apprenticeships.
Higher education (HE)	These include universities that provide higher-level academic and vocational courses, such as undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Once young people sit their GCSEs at age 16, they must decide to either:
- stay in full-time education by going to sixth-form or an FE college
- take up an apprenticeship or traineeship offered by an employer
- seek paid employment with training
In 2015, the Government raised the age of participation in education or training to 18 years to ensure Britain remained competitive in a global economy by having a well-trained and educated workforce
As a result, competition has increased in FE and HE as they are set targets to achieve, such as exam performance so that the quality of education improves within the education sector

All children in England between the ages of 5 and 15 years are entitled to a free place at a state school
State schools are not based on parents' ability to pay fees, as these schools receive funding through their local authority or directly from the government
Students don't have to travel far to attend state school, whereas students going to private school may have to travel some distance or live away from home in a boarding school
Because state schools accept students from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, their intake is more diverse than that of independent schools
For students from low-income families, state schools might offer a path to upward social mobility
State schools are required to follow the National Curriculum

The independent sector refers to schools that charge fees, which include:
- private schools
- public schools, which are the older and more famous independent schools such as Eton and Harrow
Around 7% of all students attend independent schools
Private schools are not required to follow the National Curriculum
Class sizes are smaller than in state schools so students receive more attention and personalised support from teachers
Resources and facilities are often better than in some state schools (such as Olympic-standard sports halls, theatres for performing arts, IT suites with 3D printers and lots of outdoor space)
Because academic success is valued and exam results are typically higher than the national average, students are generally very motivated, and many continue their education at a university

Some critics argue that it is not morally right to have a private education system which only the rich can afford, as this reinforces inequalities in society
To guarantee that everyone has access to the same levels and quality of education, the state should provide proper funding for education
Alternatively, it could be argued that people should be able to spend their money however they choose
In a free society, the option to send children to an independent school should be available to parents who can afford it

The 1944 Education Act set up the tripartite system, which aimed to provide children with a free state education based on their abilities
Children would be educated according to their academic ability rather than their parents' financial means under a meritocratic system

Students were assigned to one of three schools according to their performance on the 11-plus exam:

Secondary modern
- which provided general education for less academic children (around 75% of students)
Secondary technical
- which provided practical education, such as crafts and skills for around 5% of all students
Grammar
- which provided academic education for more academic children (around 20% of all students)

A 'comprehensive' school was created in 1965 when the Labour government requested that Local Education Authorities (LEAs) restructure secondary education so that all students attended the same kind of institution
This type of school still exists today, although some LEAs still have grammar schools that require students to take an entrance exam

Social barriers are broken down when children of different abilities and social classes attend the same school and socialise with one another
As a non-selective school, comprehensives are designed to cater for children of all abilities, so no child is labelled as a 'failure'
- As there are no entrance exams, this is a fairer system, particularly for late developers
They are usually large, so more subject options and facilities are available
Each school has a specific catchment area, which means that local schools enrol local children

Parental choice is limited, as students are expected to go to the nearest school in the area, regardless of the academic performance of the school
More able students are held back by the less able, particularly in mixed-ability classes
Academic working-class children will achieve more at a grammar school than at a comprehensive, as standards are higher due to middle-class values and attitudes
Comprehensive schools do not break down social class barriers as their intake is from the local neighbourhood, e.g. inner-city schools consist of mainly working-class students
They are not fully comprehensive because of setting or streaming in particular subjects according to ability, which reflects social class differences

Last updated: 14 November 2024

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