The functionalist view on education for GCSE Sociology

Functionalism is a sociological theory that sees society as a system of interconnected parts, each performing a function that keeps the whole running smoothly. Functionalists view education as one of those essential institutions, arguing it socialises young people into shared values, teaches the skills the economy needs, and allocates people to suitable roles based on merit.

This guide covers the main functionalist thinkers (Durkheim and Parsons are the named Education thinkers on the AQA GCSE Sociology specification, with Davis and Moore widely applied to education from their Stratification work), their key concepts, the strongest evaluative criticisms, and how to structure a 12-mark answer that hits all four assessment objectives.

Functionalism is a consensus theory: It assumes most members of society share the same basic values and that institutions exist because they perform useful functions for the whole. Functionalists compare society to a human body, where each organ (family, education, religion, the economy) plays a role in keeping the whole alive.

Applied to education, this means schools exist because society needs them. The AQA specification expects you to know three things: That functionalists see education as beneficial, that they identify specific functions it performs, and that critics (especially Marxists and feminists) reject this rosy picture.

Emile Durkheim, writing in late 19th-century France, argued that education has two main functions: Creating social solidarity and teaching specialist skills. By social solidarity he meant the sense of belonging to a wider community, which Durkheim believed was essential for any society to survive.

Durkheim said school does this by teaching shared history, language, and values. A class learning the same lessons together, from the same curriculum, comes to see themselves as part of one nation rather than as isolated individuals. He also argued school is a "society in miniature" where children learn to cooperate with non-family members, preparing them for the adult world.

Talcott Parsons described school as the bridge between the family and wider society. Inside the family, children are judged on particularistic standards (they are loved for who they are). At work and in public life, adults are judged on universalistic standards (the same rules apply to everyone).

School is where children learn to switch from one to the other. Teachers apply the same rules to everyone in the class, mark to the same criteria, and reward effort with grades. Parsons also argued schools transmit two core values of modern society: Achievement (success comes from effort) and equality of opportunity (everyone starts on a level playing field).

Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore extended the functionalist view by arguing that education sorts people into jobs based on ability. The most able pupils get the best grades, the best grades open up the best universities, and the best universities lead to the most important and highly paid jobs.

This is the role allocation function. Davis and Moore argued this system is necessary because society needs the most talented people in the most important jobs (doctors, engineers, lawyers). High pay for these roles is justified, they said, as a reward for the long training and high responsibility. This is one of the most criticised parts of functionalist theory. (Note: Davis and Moore appear on the AQA spec under Stratification (3.6.1), not Education (3.4). Their role allocation theory is widely applied to education in textbooks but they are not formally a named Education thinker, Durkheim and Parsons are.)

Functionalists argue that schools teach more than just academic content. The hidden curriculum is the set of unwritten rules and values pupils absorb through everyday school life: Punctuality, respect for authority, the importance of competition, and the acceptance of hierarchy.

For functionalists, the hidden curriculum is helpful. It prepares pupils for the workplace, where they will need to arrive on time, follow rules, and accept that their boss is in charge. Marxists, by contrast, see the same hidden curriculum as a tool for producing obedient workers who do not question capitalism.

Evaluating functionalism is where the higher marks live. AQA mark schemes reward students who can name at least two specific criticisms and apply them to the named functionalist thinker, not just "functionalism in general".

The strongest criticisms come from Marxists, feminists, and interactionists. Marxists argue education benefits the ruling class, not society as a whole. Feminists argue it has historically disadvantaged girls. Interactionists argue functionalists ignore what actually happens inside classrooms.

AQA Paper 2 includes a 12-mark question that asks you to discuss a sociological view. The mark scheme rewards two clear functionalist arguments, applied with examples, plus at least two evaluations from other perspectives.

Structure: Open with a one-sentence definition of functionalism. Paragraph 1: One functionalist argument (e.g. Durkheim on social solidarity), with a school-based example. Paragraph 2: A second functionalist argument (e.g. Parsons on meritocracy), with an example. Paragraph 3: Two evaluations (Marxist and feminist). Conclusion: A judgement on whether functionalism is convincing today.