The shift from the model of central government educational control to school- based management has been widely adopted and acclaimed and has created the general impression of increased democracy and participation.; The international contributors to this book tackle this important policy issue and look behind the scenes of the moves towards school self- management. They investigate the phenomenon of the self-managing school, Why It Is Happening Now, What Is The Truth Behind This Notion And The problems which lie behind devolution and self-management.; The self- managing school, it is claimed is not about "grassroots democracy" or "parent participation" but absolutely the reverse and this contradiction is best understood in terms of the ideology of the New Right. Enlightened and informed perspectives of the reality behind school self-management suggest that the devolution of power is only superficial. Hierarchies continue to exist as unequally funded schools which perpetuate class, gender and ethnic divisions. The mechanism involved promotes the Survivial Of The Fittest Through Notions Of Choice.; For Those Involved in school management and education generally, this book should provide a useful insight into the struggle surrounding the control of schooling.

The shift from the model of central government educational control to school- based management has been widely adopted and acclaimed and has created the general impression of increased democracy and participation.; The international contributors to this book tackle this important policy issue and look behind the scenes of the moves towards school self- management. They investigate the phenomenon of the self-managing school, Why It Is Happening Now, What Is The Truth Behind This Notion And The problems which lie behind devolution and self-management.; The self- managing school, it is claimed is not about "grassroots democracy" or "parent participation" but absolutely the reverse and this contradiction is best understood in terms of the ideology of the New Right. Enlightened and informed perspectives of the reality behind school self-management suggest that the devolution of power is only superficial. Hierarchies continue to exist as unequally funded schools which perpetuate class, gender and ethnic divisions. The mechanism involved promotes the Survivial Of The Fittest Through Notions Of Choice.; For Those Involved in school management and education generally, this book should provide a useful insight into the struggle surrounding the control of schooling.

First published in 1997. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

`The book is helpful in a number of (individual) ways and makes a valuable contribution to the body of literature on education management in the late 1990s'- School Leadership & Management `The tension between the freedom to develop in an autonomous way and the need to be accountable is increasingly being commented upon, and Choices for Self- Managing Schools makes a useful new contribution to this debate' - Times Educational Supplement This book provides, in an accessible way, the essential ideas and concepts underlying the management of autonomous schools. It aims to present theoretical frameworks which are valuable for conceptualising management and managing,

For academics and students, 'Education Management in Managerialist Times' offers a critical guide to existing educational management texts and makes a strong case for redefining educational management along more socially and politically informed lines.

Jurassic Management takes a challenging look at educational management and argues that self-organisation and micropolitics are essential to understanding organisational survival and development.