Whose school is it anyway?

Citation

Nolan, T. (1998), "Whose school is it anyway?", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 12 No. 6, pp. 289-290. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijem.1998.12.6.289.2

The author, in the preface, refers to the National Education Consensus which existed for 30 years after the second world war and states that the Labour Government has an historic opportunity to lay the foundations of a new national educational consensus. She then states:

This book examines why that post‐war consensus broke down in the mid‐1970s and how in the 1980s, the Thatcherite revolution transformed the educational landscape. It draws on a wide range of educational research from around the world to examine questions which teachers and educational reformers are struggling with in many countries besides the UK. Both historical and contemporary events are used to reflect some of the possible elements of the new educational dispensation between central and local government, parents and pupils.

In answering the question “Whose school is it anyway?” the author poses questions; among them are:

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  Have we “got the balance of powers and responsibilities right in relation to schools?”

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  “Has the pendulum swung too far in the direction of government, or not far enough?”

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  “Should greater powers be given to governors, students, parents?”

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  “Have we got the decision‐making configuration we need?”

This book is in two parts:.

Part one deals with “Constructing the reform agenda” and part two with “Reconstructing the reform agenda for the twenty‐first century.”

It is a stimulating and thought‐provoking book and includes interviews with national figures as well as referring to William Tyndale School in London and James Callaghan’s Ruskin College speech.

It is well referenced and has an index.

This book makes an important contribution to the debate on educational reform and should be read by all interested in getting the best possible education system for the nation’s children.