Education in Great BritainWhat is education trying to achieve? For the individual? For the society?Purpose of Education In Great Britain, the purpose of school is to provide children with literacy and other basic skills, as well as to “socialise” them to teach them how to be good citizens, to participate in the community, and to contribute to the economic prosperity of an advanced industrial economy. (pg 102-103)Controversy How do you measure success? Should education be “equal” for everyone? Britain is a society where social classes are still very important. There is a big distinction between working class and middle class people. Social Class About half of British would describe themselves as working-class, and half would be middle-class. They are divided by employment (manual workers vs. office workers), cultural differences (newspapers, entertainment), the way they speak (accents are stronger in the working-class), and educationSocial Class Most Britons go to the same kind of school free public education, but about 7% attend private schools. These schools offer a good education, as well as connections. About half of Oxford and Cambridge University students come from private schools. About 90% of the government senior ministers were graduates from “Oxbridge”. A difference in British class systems as compared with China or America is that there is still an aristocracy. There are people with titles such as barons and dukes.Private Schools -Eton and Winchester are the most famous boy schools in EnglandPictures from Eton boys schoolOxford and Cambridge are the most famous universities in the U.K. Oxford University - Going to the “right schools” is still the best way to guarantee a successful career and future.History of Education Historically, education was voluntary and many of the schools that were set up,were set up by churches. The church still has an influence on schooling. Daily prayers and singing hymns (songs to God) are still a regular part of school life in many schools. History of Educationl Before 1870 only 40% of children under 10 years old went to school and only a very few children went on to higher education. The few who did go on to further education were the sons (not daughters) of the wealthy.l After 1870, the influence of the Industrial Revolution in Britain made people realize the value in having more citizens educated to help contribute to the more high-tech world that was developing. There were more industrial jobs being created, and there was less need for agricultural workers. l By 1880 the government had taken more responsibility for the education of all children and made it compulsory that children, attend school from the ages of 5 to 10. This was the first action in accommodating the need to have a (highly) educated population, if the country was to be a world economic and industrial force. l By the end of the war (1914-1918) the school-leaving age was raised to 14 years old! A British school at the end of the 19th CenturyQuestions In 1918, there was some resistance from working-class families to the raising of the school-leaving age. Why? In the 1880s what did the 10 year olds do now that they were not at school all day? Children working in a cotton factoryChildren working in a coal mineThen Came World War II When the Germans began dropping bombs in England, 750,000 school children were sent to the country where it would be safer. They didnt receive much education then. After the war, Britain revised its education system. This time, it would emphasize equality. 1944 Education Act this law made entry into secondary (middle) schools based on merit (ability), not status. All children were given a right to free secondary education. All 11 year old children sat an exam, which determined whether their secondary schooling would be in a grammar school* or in a secondary modern school*. The more able students went to grammar schools and the less able students went to secondary modern schools. Grammar school students were prepared for university, while the secondary modern students were prepared for trades (such as work as a plumber, electrician, and building worker). What were the results of these changes? Were the working class children doing as well as the upper class children? The first attempt at equal education failed. Because education was based on examinations, the middle class students still performed better and the working class students left school at an earlier age. Middle class students had more free time and better access to help than working class students. They also valued education more. In the 1960s, comprehensive schools were introduced, ending the division between grammar schools and vocational schools. Entrance exams were abolished for 11 year olds.The Great Education Debate In 1976, the Labour party started a