AQA A Level Sociology Paper 1: Education

Overview

Focus: Education, with a separate part for Theory and Research Methods.
Aimed at aiding with revision and exam preparation.
Exam structure:
- 80 marks total
- 2 hours duration
- Education section: 50 marks, 4 questions.

Social Solidarity (Durkheim): Education teaches norms and values to maintain social solidarity, examples include assemblies and school activities.
Parsons' Bridge Theory and Meritocracy: School acts as a bridge between family and society, teaching universal standards.
- Meritocracy: Achievement based on talent, effort, and work.
- Issues: Not all students have equal chances due to various factors like social class, and meritocracy may be seen as a myth.
Specialized Skills: Education provides necessary skills for societal roles.
- Criticism: Further skills required beyond school.
Role Allocation (Davis and Moore): Education identifies the best individuals for top societal roles.
- Criticism: Not all have equal opportunities; societal roles are often predefined by social status.

Althusser's Ideological State Apparatus: Education reproduces and justifies social inequalities.
Meritocracy Myth: Social class influences outcomes more than merit.
Correspondence Principle (Bowles and Gintis): School structures mirror workplace expectations, hidden curriculum enforces social norms.
- Indoctrination: Pupils are socialized to fit the capitalist system.
Paul Willis' Study: Working-class boys' rebellion against education as a secondary socialization agent.

Support for Meritocracy: Emphasizes individual responsibility and reducing state dependency.
Criticisms: Overlooks inequality, racism, sexism, and reality of shared norms in a multicultural society.

1944 Education Act: Introduced compulsory state education, tripartite system with grammar, secondary modern, and technical schools.
- Criticism: Unequal status among schools, gender bias in grammar school admissions.
1965 Comprehensive Education Act: Aimed to remove selection at 11 and promote equal opportunity.
Education Reform Act (1988): Introduced national curriculum, league tables, and marketization.
- Criticism: Testing stress, inequality remains.
New Labour Policies (1997-2010): Specialist schools, city academies, Sure Start centers, and Educational Maintenance Allowance.
Conservative Policies (Post-2010): Increased tuition fees, pupil premium, and GCSE/A-level reforms.

Definition: Increasing interconnectedness of societies.
Impact on Education: Aimed at competing globally, led to commodification of students and multicultural curriculum.

Hidden Curriculum: Unstated lessons like obedience and discipline.
Labeling Theory: Teachers’ expectations influence student self-concept and achievement.
Setting and Streaming: Grouping by ability, often reinforcing inequalities.
Ideal Pupil and Subcultures: Teachers have implicit models of ideal students, leading to differentiation and subcultures.

Material Deprivation: Lack of resources impacts educational achievement.
Cultural Deprivation: Working-class cultural practices seen as less valuable.
Cultural Capital (Bourdieu): Middle-class advantages in navigating education system.

Gender Differences: Girls outperform boys due to feminization of education, coursework, and pressures.
Feminization of Education: Lack of male role models, perceived bias towards girls.
Impact of Subject Choice: Gendered steering in subject choices, affecting future opportunities.

Cultural Deprivation: Language barriers and cultural differences can impact achievement.
Material Deprivation: Ethnic minorities more likely to face economic disadvantages.
Racism and Wider Society: Institutional racism affects educational outcomes.