ExpertMedium3 marksStructured
AQA GCSE · Question 14 · Education
Describe what is meant by the term comprehensive school.
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
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.
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