100 pages
A5
ISBN-10: 1 85856 061 6
ISBN-13: 978 1 85856 061 8

The prospect of an end to the conservative era of educational reform has stimulated a revival of alternative policies - from the Labour Party and from leading left-of-centre educationalists. This book offers a critical assessment of these emerging agendas. It evaluates the legacy of Conservative reform and examines the ideas of modernisation and school effectiveness that dominate alternative proposals for change.

The contributors come from teacher trade unionism, cultural studies, Labour Party activism and educational policy studies. Their articles range from critique to strategy, and from broad questions of cultural theory to scrutiny of the detail of policy. Together, they offer resources with which to rethink and radicalise contemporary agendas for improving state education.