Education Reform Act 1988

E523138

The Education Reform Act 1988 was a landmark UK law that overhauled the school system in England and Wales, introducing greater central control, standardized testing, and market-oriented policies such as local management of schools and open enrolment.

Jump to: Statements Referenced by

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom
education law
appliesToJurisdiction England
Wales
considered landmark in modern British education policy
country United Kingdom
createdBody National Curriculum Council NERFINISHED
School Examinations and Assessment Council NERFINISHED
effectOnLocalAuthorities reduction of local education authority control
effectOnSchools greater autonomy for school governing bodies
increased accountability through testing and league tables
shift of budgetary control from local education authorities to schools
impact institutionalisation of national testing and performance measurement in schools
long-term restructuring of school governance and funding in England and Wales
introducedByGovernment Thatcher government NERFINISHED
introducedByPrimeMinister Margaret Thatcher NERFINISHED
introducedChange establishment of a unified funding council structure for higher education in England and Wales
introduction of grant-maintained status for schools opting out of local authority control
removal of polytechnics from local authority control
requirement for core and foundation subjects in the National Curriculum
statutory worship and religious education requirements in schools
introducedConcept City Technology Colleges NERFINISHED
Key Stages
Local Management of Schools
National Curriculum NERFINISHED
Standard Assessment Tasks
grant-maintained schools
local financial delegation to schools
open enrolment
school governing bodies with increased powers
standardised testing at ages 7, 11, 14 and 16
longTitle An Act to make provision about education and related matters
mainPurpose increase central government control over education
introduce market-oriented policies in education
reform of the school system in England and Wales
partOfReformProgramme Thatcher-era public sector reforms
policyOrientation centralisation of curriculum control
market-oriented education policy
parental choice in school admissions
politicalContext Conservative Party education reforms of the 1980s
royalAssentDate 1988-07-29
sectorCovered further education
higher education
primary education
secondary education
shortTitle Education Reform Act 1988 NERFINISHED
yearEnacted 1988

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

national curriculum (UK) introducedBy Education Reform Act 1988
subject surface form: National Curriculum (England)
LEAs reformedBy Education Reform Act 1988
subject surface form: LEA