Sociology · Year 11 · Education · Summer Term

The Role and Functions of Education

Explore the different purposes of education, from preparing young people for work to transmitting shared norms and values. We will consider functionalist, Marxist, and New Right perspectives on the role of education in society.

TL;DR:This topic challenges students to become sociologists of their own daily lives, questioning the very purpose of the school they attend every day.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• DfE GCSE Sociology Subject Content: Education - The role and functions of the education system

About This Topic

This topic forms a cornerstone of the GCSE Sociology curriculum, typically falling under the 'Education' unit. It requires students to move beyond their personal experiences of schooling and engage with foundational sociological theories. The core of the topic is the debate over the primary function of the education system in a modern industrial society like Britain. Is it a meritocratic institution that promotes social mobility and cohesion, as functionalists like Durkheim and Parsons argue? Or is it, as Marxists such as Althusser, Bowles, and Gintis contend, a mechanism for social reproduction that legitimises class inequality through a 'hidden curriculum' and the correspondence principle?

This theoretical debate is further nuanced by the introduction of the New Right perspective. Drawing on functionalist ideas but with a strong emphasis on neoliberal economics, thinkers like Chubb and Moe critique the state-run education system for being inefficient and unresponsive. Their advocacy for marketisation, competition, and parental choice has profoundly influenced British education policy since the 1980s, making this a particularly relevant perspective. Successfully navigating this topic requires students to not only understand the key tenets of each theory but also to critically evaluate them, using contemporary evidence from the British education system to support their arguments. It provides a crucial foundation for later topics on educational achievement and social policy.

Key Questions

1. Explain the functionalist view of education's role in creating social solidarity.
2. Analyse the Marxist concept of the hidden curriculum and its function.
3. Compare the functionalist and Marxist views on the role of education in society.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the key functions of education according to the functionalist perspective.
• Explain the Marxist critique of education, using concepts such as the hidden curriculum and social reproduction.
• Analyse the New Right perspective on education, focusing on the role of marketisation and parental choice.
• Compare and contrast the functionalist and Marxist views on the role of education.
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each sociological perspective on education, using contemporary examples.

Key Vocabulary

Meritocracy	A system in which promotion and success are based on an individual's ability and effort, rather than on their social class or wealth.
Social Solidarity	The sense of community and belonging that binds individuals together in a society, often promoted through shared values and culture.
Hidden Curriculum	The informal and unofficial lessons, values, and norms that students learn at school through its organisation and routines.
Correspondence Principle	The Marxist idea that the structures and hierarchies within schools mirror those of the capitalist workplace.
Marketisation	The process of introducing market forces of consumer choice and competition between suppliers into areas run by the state, such as education.
Social Reproduction	The process whereby social inequalities, especially class-based ones, are passed down from one generation to the next.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Education is just about learning subjects like Maths and English.

What to Teach Instead

Sociologists distinguish between the formal curriculum (the subjects you are taught) and the 'hidden curriculum'. The hidden curriculum refers to the unstated lessons, values, and norms transmitted through the school experience, such as obedience to authority, punctuality, and competition.

Common Misconception

Everyone has an equal chance to succeed in school if they work hard.

What to Teach Instead

This idea is known as meritocracy, which is a key part of the functionalist view. However, Marxists and other sociologists challenge this, arguing that factors like a student's social class, ethnicity, and gender can significantly impact their opportunities and outcomes, regardless of their effort.

Common Misconception

The New Right and Functionalist views are the same.

What to Teach Instead

While they share some ideas, such as the importance of education for the economy, there is a key difference. Functionalists generally support a state-run education system, whereas the New Right is critical of state control, believing it leads to low standards. They advocate for market forces, competition, and parental choice to drive improvement.

Active Learning Ideas

Formal Debate

Sociological Perspectives Carousel

Set up three stations in the classroom, one for each perspective (Functionalist, Marxist, New Right), with key readings or summaries. In small groups, students rotate between stations, spending time at each to summarise the key ideas onto a large sheet of paper before presenting their findings to the class.

45 min·Small Groups

Formal Debate

The 'Ideal School' Design Challenge

In pairs, assign students a sociological perspective and ask them to design a school prospectus based on its principles. A functionalist school might emphasise community and preparing for work, while a Marxist critique might highlight how a school's rules prepare students for the factory floor.

50 min·Pairs

Formal Debate

Education Policy Debate

Divide the class into three groups representing the main perspectives and hold a formal debate on a motion like: 'This house believes that marketisation has improved British education'. This encourages students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world policies and develop evaluation skills.

40 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Analysing school league tables and Ofsted reports as examples of the marketisation of education, a key New Right policy.
• Debating the role of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education in schools as a mechanism for transmitting shared British values (a functionalist idea).
• Examining school uniform and behaviour policies as examples of the 'hidden curriculum' that Marxists argue instils conformity and obedience.
• Discussing the impact of tuition fees for higher education on social mobility and whether it challenges the idea of meritocracy.
• Connecting the curriculum's focus on STEM subjects to the functionalist idea of teaching specialist skills needed for a complex economy.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

A card sort activity where students match key concepts, thinkers, and criticisms to the correct sociological perspective.

Peer Assessment

A timed essay written under exam conditions, for example: 'Outline and evaluate the view that the main role of the education system is to justify and reproduce social inequality. (12 marks)'.

Quick Check

Students complete a 'knowledge grid' at the end of the topic, rating their understanding of each key concept and theory to identify areas for revision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 'correspondence principle'?

This is a Marxist idea from Bowles and Gintis. It suggests that the way schools are organised and the values they teach directly correspond to, or mirror, the requirements of the workplace in a capitalist society. For example, accepting hierarchy and authority at school prepares you to accept it from a boss at work.

Who are the key thinkers for each perspective?

For Functionalism, key thinkers are Émile Durkheim (social solidarity) and Talcott Parsons (meritocracy). For Marxism, think of Louis Althusser (Ideological State Apparatus) and Bowles & Gintis (correspondence principle). For the New Right, the key study is by Chubb and Moe, who advocated for a voucher system and marketisation.

How does education create 'social solidarity'?

This is Durkheim's functionalist idea. He argued that by teaching a shared history and culture, and by having students follow the same rules, school makes individuals feel part of a single society. This creates a sense of commitment to the wider social group, ensuring social order and stability.