What functions does education perform for society?
The functions of education, including the functionalist views of Durkheim and Parsons on social solidarity, skills and meritocracy, and the role of education in the economy.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Sociology education topic, covering the functions of education through Durkheim's social solidarity, Parsons' meritocracy and the role of schools in preparing pupils for work.
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What this dot point is asking
AQA wants you to explain what education does for society from the functionalist perspective, using Durkheim and Parsons, and to understand the related ideas of social solidarity, the teaching of skills, meritocracy and role allocation. You should be able to attach each function to the right theorist and recognise that this is one perspective among several.
Durkheim: solidarity and skills
Emile Durkheim, the founder of functionalist sociology, argued that education performs two key functions for society.
By "society in miniature" Durkheim meant that school teaches children to cooperate with people who are not their family, to follow rules made by an impersonal authority, and to see themselves as part of a larger whole. Subjects such as history pass on a shared culture and national identity. The teaching of specialist skills matters because a modern economy depends on a division of labour in which different people perform different specialised roles; education sorts and trains people for these roles.
Parsons: the bridge and meritocracy
Talcott Parsons described school as a bridge between the family and wider society. In the family a child is judged by particularistic standards (treated as a special individual, by their own family's rules); in school and the adult world they are judged by universalistic standards (the same rules and standards applied to everyone). School is where children learn to make this transition.
Education and the economy
Functionalists argue education also performs a role allocation function: it sifts and sorts pupils, through examinations and qualifications, into the jobs that match their talents, so that the most able people end up in the most important and demanding roles. Davis and Moore developed this link between education, stratification and the economy. From the functionalist view, this allocation benefits everyone, because important jobs are filled by capable people who were identified fairly by the education system.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 20184 marksIdentify and explain one function that education performs for society.Show worked answer →
A four-mark Paper 1 item: name a function and develop it with a named sociologist.
One function is creating social solidarity. Durkheim argued that school teaches pupils the shared norms, values and history of their society, so they feel part of a single community rather than separate individuals.
Develop the point: by teaching subjects like history and bringing children together, school transmits the shared culture that binds society, acting like "society in miniature". Markers reward a named function, a clear explanation and a relevant sociologist.
AQA 202112 marksDiscuss how far sociologists would agree that education is meritocratic.Show worked answer →
A twelve-mark Paper 1 item testing AO1, AO2 and AO3.
For meritocracy: Parsons argued school judges all pupils by the same universal standards, so success reflects ability and effort, and education allocates the most able to the most important jobs (role allocation).
Against meritocracy: Marxists Bowles and Gintis call meritocracy a myth, since class strongly affects achievement through material deprivation and cultural capital, so success is not earned on merit alone. Interactionists add that labelling shapes outcomes.
Judgement: education claims to be meritocratic but class, gender and ethnicity patterns suggest it is not fully so. Markers reward both sides, named thinkers and a supported conclusion.
Related dot points
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Sources & how we know this
- AQA GCSE Sociology (8192) specification — AQA (2017)