EducationEducationSchool TypesEducation PolicyComprehensive System
AQA GCSE · Question 14 · Education
Describe what is meant by the term comprehensive school.
How to approach this question
To get full marks, you need to make three clear points. First, define what a comprehensive school is (it's non-selective). Second, explain its purpose (to educate all children in a local area together). Third, you could add context by contrasting it with the system it replaced (the tripartite system of grammar, secondary modern, and technical schools).
Full Answer
A comprehensive school is a type of state secondary school that does not select its pupils on the basis of academic ability or aptitude. They were introduced to provide the same educational opportunities for all children in a local area, regardless of their social class or background. This system aimed to be more equal than the previous tripartite system which separated children into different schools at age 11.
The comprehensive school system was introduced in the UK from the 1960s to replace the selective tripartite system. The tripartite system, based on the 1944 Education Act, allocated children to one of three types of school (grammar, secondary modern, or technical) based on their performance in the 11+ exam. This was criticised for being unfair and reinforcing class inequality. Comprehensive schools were designed to overcome this by providing a single type of school for all children in a given area, with the aim of promoting social mixing and equal opportunity.
Common mistakes
A common mistake is to give a very brief definition, such as 'a school for everyone', without explaining the key feature of being non-selective or its historical context in replacing the tripartite system.
Expert