Marketisation in education has transformed the UK's educational system, introducing competition and business-like operations in schools. With the National Curriculum standardising education, and accountability measures like league tables and Ofsted, the landscape has evolved. Privatisation and parentocracy have risen, affecting choices and opportunities. New Labour and the Coalition government furthered these trends, impacting funding and access to education.
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Marketisation in education refers to the application of free-market principles within the educational sector
The policy direction of marketisation in education was influenced by the New Right ideology in the United Kingdom during the late 20th century
The Conservative government, particularly under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, initiated reforms that encouraged competition among schools and aimed to reduce state control
The National Curriculum, introduced in 1988, established compulsory subjects and standardized assessment, reducing the curricular autonomy of individual teachers and schools
The introduction of school league tables and the establishment of Ofsted were measures taken to increase school accountability and transparency
Marketisation has been associated with privatisation trends in education, where services traditionally provided by the state are increasingly influenced by private entities
The New Labour government maintained the trajectory of marketisation while introducing its own reforms, such as the creation of city academies and the diversification of school types
The Coalition government continued to expand marketisation in education by accelerating the conversion of state schools to academies and introducing free schools
The government increased the cap on university tuition fees, reinforcing the marketisation ethos by increasing the role of private funding in higher education
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Influence of New Right on UK education marketisation
New Right ideology promoted free-market in education during late 20th century UK.
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Role of competition in marketised schools
Schools compete for students and funding, akin to businesses in a market economy.
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Impact of Thatcher's reforms on state control of schools
Thatcher's policies aimed to diminish state oversight, increasing school autonomy.
