Homework 2

Outline New Labour's Educational Policy since 1997.

Labour was elected in May 1997 in the way of new policies of education.They focus on education in a global market and view education and training as crucial for economic success.

Labour inherited 196 specialist schools from Conservatives. By 2007, there were over 2500 specialist school in England. The idea of specialist schools is to provide centres of excellence and expertist in particular subject area, and raising standards of teaching and learning in these areas.

However, it has be criticised rising standards may be due to the additional government funding or a growing middle-class intake.

Labour accept competition between schools would raise standards and school league tables as a means for parents to assess a school`s performance. But, despite the league tables, parents tend to accept the original measure, which is the exam results.

Part of Labour`s education policy was based on social democratic views with an emphasis on equality of opportunity. It aim to "overcome economic and social disadvantage and to make equality of opportunity a reality." And they introduced a range of measures designed to raise standards in low-income , inner-city areas. These included Sure Start which aimed mainly at pre-school children and had disadvantaged area of England, Education Action Zones that located in deprived urban areas with low levels of educational attainment, Excellence in Cities and Academies which is to raise achievement is deprived areas by replacing poorly performing secondary schools.

Labour has attempt to reduce inequality of educational opportunity by increases the number of students and the proportion of working-class students in Further and Higher education.

Vocational education and training are introduced to for a high wage or high skill economy, and reduce unemployment.GNVQs(general national vocational qualification) were replaced by vocational GCSEs and vocational A levels to raise the status of vocational qualifications to the level of academic qualifications. NVQs( national vocational qualification ) were extended to raise skill levels in a wide range of jobs. However, surveys suggest that many employers see little value in these qualifications, the government might overestimate the demand for highly skilled jobs.

Labour introduced the New Deal in 1998. It offered education and training for young people between the age of 18 and 24 who had been out of work for more than six months, it was later extended to older people.