Sign up to access the complete lesson and track your progress!
Unlock This CourseNot all education happens in traditional state schools. Alternative educational provision refers to educational settings and approaches that differ from mainstream schooling. These alternatives have grown in popularity as people look for different ways to educate children based on varying needs, beliefs and educational philosophies.
Key Definitions:
Alternative education has developed for several reasons:
Alternative education is chosen by various groups:
Home schooling (or home education) involves parents taking direct responsibility for their children's education rather than sending them to school. In the UK, it's perfectly legal and becoming increasingly popular.
According to estimates, around 60,000 children were being home educated in the UK in 2021, though the actual number may be higher. This represents a significant increase from about 20,000 in 2014. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this trend as many families discovered the benefits of learning at home.
Free schools and academies represent a significant shift in UK education policy, giving schools more autonomy while still receiving government funding.
Introduced in 2010, free schools are set up by groups like parents, teachers, charities or businesses. They have freedom over curriculum, school hours and teacher pay. By 2021, there were over 500 free schools in England.
Academies are publicly funded schools that operate independently of local authority control. They can set their own pay and conditions for staff and don't have to follow the national curriculum. Many former state schools have converted to academy status.
Faith schools have a religious character and make up about one-third of state-funded schools in England. They follow the national curriculum but can teach religious education according to their faith. Most are Christian, but there are also Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu faith schools.
Based on Rudolf Steiner's educational philosophy, these schools focus on developing children's imagination and creativity. They emphasise arts, practical skills and social abilities alongside academic learning. The curriculum is designed to match children's developmental stages rather than focusing on early academic achievement.
Developed by Maria Montessori, this approach encourages independent learning in a specially prepared environment. Children choose activities that interest them and learn at their own pace. Teachers act as guides rather than instructors and mixed-age classrooms allow younger children to learn from older ones.
Functionalists might see alternative education as filling gaps in the mainstream system, meeting specific needs that traditional schools cannot address. However, they might worry about whether all alternative provision adequately prepares children for their future roles in society.
Marxists might criticise how some alternative provision (like expensive private schools) reinforces class divisions. They might see academies and free schools as part of the marketisation of education that benefits middle-class families while potentially disadvantaging working-class communities.
Feminists might examine whether alternative education challenges or reinforces gender stereotypes. Some might appreciate how flexible approaches like home schooling can accommodate girls' learning styles, while others might worry about conservative religious schools reinforcing traditional gender roles.
Founded in 1921 by A.S. Neill, Summerhill in Suffolk is probably the UK's most famous democratic school. At Summerhill, attending lessons is entirely optional and school rules are made through democratic meetings where staff and students have equal votes. Despite facing closure threats from Ofsted in the past, the school has survived and continues to demonstrate an extreme form of child-centred education. Summerhill shows how alternative education can challenge fundamental assumptions about authority, discipline and learning in traditional schools.
Alternative educational provision has a complex relationship with social inequality:
Alternative provision can reduce inequality by:
Alternative provision can increase inequality when:
Alternative educational provision represents both a challenge and an opportunity for the UK education system. While it offers choice, flexibility and innovation, it also raises questions about equality, standards and social cohesion. As alternative provision continues to grow, sociologists will keep studying its impacts on educational outcomes and social stratification.
The ideal education system would likely incorporate the best elements of both mainstream and alternative approaches, ensuring all children receive an education that meets their needs while preparing them for life in a diverse society. The debate about how best to achieve this balance remains at the heart of educational sociology.