Educational Change in UK: Timeline Activity

1. Educational Change in UK: Timeline Activity • This activity is designed to promote visual and kinaesthetic learning • Print or photocopy slides 2 and 3 onto A4 size paper. • These contain boxes with significant events in recent education history • Print or photocopy slide 4 onto A3 paper • Students are expected to cut out the boxes and paste them onto the timeline to give an overview of educational change (pace and events). • They should decorate the posters to increase visual interest. • They should add other points and dates created from their own learning and research.

2. By 1979 Most children are in comprehensive schools, but not all. Some grammar schools still survive. Butler Education Act 1945 Introduces free secondary education for all children. 11+ examination selects for either grammar or secondary modern 1988 Education Reform Act New Right government introduces National Curriculum which all children must study. This is a list of subjects and what must be taught. Comprehensive schools do not break down class differences because they set and streamed students according to ‘ability’. 1979 Margaret Thatcher’s New Right Conservative government is elected. This changes the philosophy of education to one where equality is not important, but ‘free market’ economy takes over. 1988 Education Reform Act Standardised Assessment Test (SATS) introduced and children are tested at 7, 11, 14, and GCSE 1980 Assisted Places Scheme Gifted children are given funding to attend private and public schools thus subsidising the income of independent schools Grammar schools fill up with the children of the middle classes and there was wastage of working class talent. Circular 10/65 Labour government instructs all Education authorities to plan comprehensive schools so all children have access to same opportunities 1988 ERA Schools are given control over their own finances and power is taken from Local Education Authorities and given to school governors

3. 2000 Reform of ‘A’ level exams into 6 unit modules with AS for 17 year olds 1996 GNVQ examinations introduced to encourage practical and applied subjects in schools 1979 First education act of Thatcher government is to repeal the laws that promote comprehensive schools 1994 A* examinations introduced at GCSE for the better candidates 1951 GCE and A level examinations introduced for pupils at grammar schools 1973 CSE examinations introduced for pupils at secondary modern schools 1988 GCSE introduced to replace GCE and CSE for 16 year olds 1997 ‘New’ Labour under Tony Blair elected, but continues education reforms that are similar to those of previous Conservative government 1973 School leaving age rises to 16 for all children 1963 Robbins Report extends university provision for more people – Polytechnics (now Metropolitan Universities) are set up 1999 Devolution from England for Scotland and Wales. Welsh education systems begin to differ from those of England more noticeably 1993 Many schools (Direct Grant) allowed to claim funding from government and not local education authority. 1990 ‘Top Up’ loans for students sees gradual erosion of student grant system

4. 1945 Education Change Timeline 2006