Education and the Labour Government An Evaluation of Two Terms [Paperback]

This book presents a valuable and authoritative evaluation of the real impact Labours two terms have had on the British education system.

On the 1stMay 1997 the British electorate witnessed a watershed moment. After an eighteen year Conservative rule, a New Labour government took office. When asked what his top three priorities were for the first term, Tony Blair stated that they would be education, education, education. This book questions the extent to which the policy has met the rhetoric; examining Labours education policy, practice and achievements during Blairs two terms in office.

This selection of writings by highly respected academics in this field charts and evaluates the effects of policy changes on the various sectors of the educational system and on the major indicators of inequality.

This book was previously published as a special issue of the Oxford Review of Education.

Introduction: Education and the Labour Government, Geoffrey Walford

1. Transforming the early years in England, Kathy Sylva and Gillian Pugh

2. Primary Schooling under New Labour: The irresolvable contradiction of excellence and enjoyment, Kevin J. Brehony

3. Diversity, specialisation and equity in education, Chris Taylor, John Fitz and Stephen Gorard

4. Labour government policy 14-19, Richard Pring

5. New Labour and Higher Education, Alan Ryan

6. Lifelong learning and the Labour governments 1997-2004, Richard Taylor

7. New Labour and teacher education: the end of an era, John Furlong

8. Reinventing 'inclusion': New Labour and the cultural politics of special education, Derrick Armstrong

9. Race, ethnicity and education under New LaboulS(