State schools in England : why social segregation and inequality still thrives in a ‘comprehensive’ system

Stevens, Roz; Hope, Max

Abstract

There is overwhelming evidence that England’s education system is built on and sustains complex patterns of inequality. A ‘comprehensive’ system, introduced in 1965, was never fully implemented and so remains as an aspiration rather than a reality. Focusing mainly on the social, economic and political aspects of comprehensive schooling rather than matters relating to the curriculum and teaching, this paper outlines the current state of comprehensive education and its link to inequality levels in English schools. It seeks to provide some underlying reasons for this state of affairs: legacy thinking concerning educational differentiation and the role that govern-ment policy makers have played in creating a weak form of comprehensivisation and then, though an emphasis on school diversity, competition and parental ‘choice’, weakening the system further.

Citation

Stevens, R., & Hope, M. (2014). State schools in England : why social segregation and inequality still thrives in a ‘comprehensive’ system. Scuola democratica : learning for democracy, 0 - 0. https://doi.org/10.12828/77687

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 1, 2014
• Publication Date: Jul 1, 2014
• Journal: Scuola democratica : learning for democracy
• Print ISSN: 1129-731X
• Electronic ISSN: 2039-2699
• Publisher: Società Editrice il Mulino
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 0 - 0
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.12828/77687
• Keywords: Educational Differentiation, Social Class, Education Policy, Inequality, Social Segregation
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/432702
• Publisher URL: http://www.rivisteweb.it/issn/1129-731X