Education standards, targets

Explore the differences between educational standards and education targets.

(10 marks)

Strong candidates are likely to relate these terms to ideological understandings or policy differences. It is likely that standards will be related to the debate on the educational right and linked to selection and/or high status curriculum. 

Targets, or ‘targetry’, are more likely to be associated with the political debate concerning mass education and collective performance, albeit in the context of competition. Targets may be linked to league tables. The countercriticisms of, for example, elitism and dumbing-down are likely to be considered.

More limited attempts to answer the set question found in weaker responses demonstrate an outline knowledge and understanding of the relevant concepts.

Source: AQA