Marketisation and selection policies

Marketisation and selection policies

1. A-to-C economy and education triage

   • Schools need good league tables
     • Resources focus on those who can achieve A to C
       • Process called the education triage
   • Gilbourn and Youdell
   • Schools categorise into:
     • Those with potential
     • Those who will pass anyway
     • Hopeless cases
     • Incorporates Lacey's differentiation idea as labelling is involved
   • Education policies (e.g. league tables) teacher stereotypes and streaming affect achievement

2. Competition and selection

   • Selection of middle class leads to higher league tables, and higher popularity
   • Cream-skimming: selecting higher ability pupils (less cost, better results)
   • Silt-shifting: off-loading learning difficulties
   • Marketisation and selection policies have polarised education