How much have teachers and pupils benefitted top-down Westminster-led control of policy?…
Richard Pring and Martin Roberts explore the impact of the involvement of central government in education policy-making.
A Generation of Radical Educational Change will make uncomfortable reading at the Department of Education. A dozen distinguished practitioners explain and reflect on how they worked to do their best for their schools, teachers and pupils in the great years of change after 1976. Their stories accumulate to become a powerful critique of the top-down policies of the last two decades.
As Pring and Roberts say “That the general overwhelming conclusion from leaders from a wide range of educational settings is so critical of the main thrusts of government policy, indicates to us the existence of a wide and harmful gulf between professionals and politicians.”
These policies have been too numerous, short-term, incoherent and partisan; governments have been indifferent to professional opinion and serious research, and have relied excessively on measurable outcomes and simplistic Ofsted judgments. Our current system is narrower and less democratic than it was, but evidence is hard to find that English pupils are doing any better in international comparisons.
As one of the contributors Wendy Scott (a leading early years practitioner) says “The current political climate and blame culture, the deliberate rejection of expert advice coupled with unjustifiable insults to specialists who have dedicated their professional lives to education, and the highly selective use of evidence, is demoralising staff and harming children’s life chances.”
Peter Wilby (journalist and former editor of New Statesman) goes onto say in his chapter “The narrative of “progressives” versus “traditionalists” continues to grip education, successive governments, have set up “an object of derision” which they then pledge “to exorcise”. This perfectly suits the media which has the clash of opposites that it craves and can put nearly all educational issues into this simple framework.”
Pring and Roberts hope that this book will start to “build bridges” between government and teachers, giving constructive and immediately practicable advice from some of the most distinguished and experienced educators in the country. It will be essential reading for all involved in education and setting policy for the next two decades.
– ENDS –
About the Editors:
Richard Pring is currently Professor of Education at Winchester University, UK, and was previously Director of the Department of Educational Studies, University of Oxford, UK (1989-2003).
Martin Roberts was appointed to the headship of The Cherwell School, Oxford, UK (1981-2002). At present, he is a member of the Academic Steering Committee of the Prince’s Teaching Institute.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
For more information, to request review copies, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
(UK/ Europe/ ROW) Isabel Roth, Marketing Manager, Routledge Education
Email: isabel.roth@tandf.couk
(North and South America) Eleanor Reading, Marketing Manager, Routledge Education
Tel: +1 (917) 351-7161 | Email: eleanor.reading@taylorandfrancis.com
When referencing the book, please include: A Generation of Radical Educational Change by Richard Pring and Martin Roberts published by Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group).
Learn more about A Generation of Radical Educational Change at:
https://www.routledge.com/products/9781138941915
978-1-138-94191-5 | £31.99 in paperback | December 2015
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