The education debate (second edition)Education was a key political issue for New Labour (1997-2010) and continues to be so under the Coalition government (2010-). It is seen as a crucial factor in ensuring economic productivity and competitiveness, in generating social mobility and tackling social inequality - but are these goals either feasible or compatible? In this fully updated edition of this bestselling book, Stephen J. Ball, a leading author in the field, guides us through the flood of government initiatives and policies of the past 20 years, including the Academies programme, parental choice, Free schools, National Curriculum and teaching standards. He looks at how these policy interventions have changed the landscape and meaning of education, turned children into 'learners' and parents into 'consumers', and played their part in the re-formation of contemporary governance. This authoritative and accessible book uses Ball's sociological approach to the analysis of current policies and ideas around education to address issues of class, choice, globalisation, race and citizenship, as well as the conflicting needs of children and families on the one hand and the economy and the state on the other. |
Contents
List of tables figures and boxes | |
education | |
a short history | |
English education policy three Current policy models and The UK Governments Approach | |
forms of policy andforms | |
past present and future | |
References | |
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Common terms and phrases
academies achievement agenda anda andthe argued asthe Ball Blair bythe Chapter choice Coalition competition comprehensive Conservative cultural curriculum David Cameron DfES discourse economic education policy education reform education system educationand educationpolicy England English education forEducation forms Free schools fromthe funding GCSE gender Gillborn global globalisation government’s grantmaintained groups hasbeen inequalities initiatives innovation institutions inthe involved Keith Joseph knowledge economy Labour leadership LEAs London meritocracy Michael Gove middleclass minority ethnic modernisation neoconservative neoliberal networks NewLabour Nonetheless OECD ofeducation ofpolicy ofschool ofthe onthe organisations parents performance Policy Exchange political practice Press privatisation problems programme public sector public service publicservices pupils relation relationships responsibility rhetoric Routledge Ruskin College skills social Social capital Social Market Foundation society speech standards teachers teaching technologies termsof thinktank Tony Blair tothe underachievement University withthe workingclass World Bank