To what extent have class differences in education changed since the introduction of comprehensive schools
Comprehensive schools were introduced throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s to replace the tripartite system of Grammar schools, Secondary modern schools and Technical schools for many children. The main aim of the new comprehensive system was to increase the equality of opportunities for all children particularly to remove the difference in opportunities that existed between social class. It can be said that the new comprehensive system did achieve this to an extent, however the variety of comprehensive schools that exist mean total equality of opportunities cannot be achieved, further more independent schools do still exist which means that the working class are at a disadvantage. Working class children on average did less well in the 11+ so therefore were greatly disadvantaged by the tripartite system, with most working class children failing the 11+ it meant that talent was wasted as certainly a number of them would have the ability to achieve highly.