This is a collection of 19 articles charting developments in school effectiveness research, both on the evaluative and reflective side, and the emergence from it of pro-active school improvement ideas and initiatives.

When this book was first published in 1997 the relationship between pupils' backgrounds and their school achievement has received little attention in education discussions. Although there has been more recognition of the problem, the correlation between disadvantaged family background and low achievement persists. The authors have revised and updated their discussion of what disadvantage can mean for pupils, the strategies that have been adopted to combat it and the efficacy of these programmes. The authors argue that efforts to compensate at school for disadvantage at home have been too limited in scope. They endorse school improvement work, which has established mechanisms for whole-school change, but fear that claims for its significance may have been exaggerated. They consider that, if the achievement gap between the advantaged and their disadvantaged peers is to be closed, the present government must go beyond its work on school improvement. It should better co-ordinate initiatives that seek more directly to help the disadvantaged, maintain those interventions which have proved to have positive effects and extend the opportunities for post-school learning.

Exclusion in schools is always topical Highly respected international contributors

This book reviews of the development, implementation and practice of the disciplines of school effectiveness and school improvement. Seven main topics are addressed: History of the school effectiveness movement over the last 25 years; Changes in accountability and standards; Leadership in school effectiveness; Changes in teacher education; Impact of Diverse Populations; Education Funding and its Impact; and Best Practice Case Studies. The contributors are active in school effectiveness research worldwide.

This timely book provides a systematic overview and critique of contemporary approaches to educational change from some of the best-known writers and scholars in the field, including Andy Hargreaves, Larry Cuban, Ivor Goodson, Jeannie Oakes, Milbrey McLaughlin, Judyth Sachs and Ann Liebermann. Divided into four sections, the book addresses the key themes: What has been the impact of educational change? How has the impact differed in different circumstances? What are the new directions for research on policy and practice? How can we link research, policy and practice? By highlighting critical lessons from the past, the book aims to set an agenda for policy-related research and the future trajectories of educational reforms, while also taking into account the dominant rhetorics of international ‘social movements’ and the ‘refracted’ nature of policy agenda at national and local levels. This book addresses issues which with many educators around the world are currently grappling. It will appeal to academics and researchers in the field, as well as providing an introduction to key issues and themes in Educational Change for graduates and practitioners.

The study of educational leadership makes little sense unless it is in relation to who the leaders are, how they are leading, what is being led and with what effect. Based on the premise that learning is at the heart of leadership and that leaders themselves should be learners, the Leadership for Learning series explores the connections between educational leadership, policy, curriculum, human resources, and accountability. Each book in the series approaches its subject matter through a three-fold structure of process, themes and impact. Series Editors - Clive Dimmock, Mark Brundrett and Les Bell What is the role of leadership in developing strategies that enhance learning outcomes? Leadership for Quality and Accountability in Education addresses the interconnected issues of quality and accountability in the education system and provides a coherent framework within which these issues can be analysed. The authors outline the significance of promoting quality in all educational establishments and go on to discuss why quality and accountability have become so essential to the framework of leadership in education, how quality and accountability have been utilised on a national and international scale and what the defining characteristics of these terms are. The book is divided into three sections which explore three linked key aspects: Part I focuses on the concept and nature of quality and accountability and the process of developing a culture of quality; Part II addresses the issues of managing staff and resources, leadership for high-quality teaching and learning and relationships with stakeholders; Part III considers the impact and prospect of quality and accountability, including internal evaluation and external inspection. The book will appeal to educational leaders and managers, advisors and inspectors, and academic researchers. It will also be of particular relevance to Masters and doctoral degree students specialising in school leadership and management.

`This book is a very worthwhile read for teachers, student teachers and teacher educators. It would be encouraging if politically based policy makers were to digest its contents also′ - Citizenship, Social and Economics Education `I recommend this book as an enjoyable, thought provoking and politically important read′ - Widenining Participation and Lifelong Learning `This important book challenges current educational policies in England in a style, for the most part, easily accessible to a wide audience. Geoff Whitty′s assertions are supported by a wide variety of research findings and this is a book that should be of considerable interest to student of sociology and to all member of the teaching profession′ - Mark Pepper, Equals `The particular strength of this book is Geoff Whitty′s grasp on and insights into the politics of education... he is able to bring to bear an authoritative perspective which is unrivaled in the United Kingdom. there is no other current book which compares in terms of the breadth and depth of this′ - Professor Stephen Ball, Institute of Education, University of London `This book represents a "struggle" by the director of the London Institute of Education, one of our foremost centres of teacher training and research in education, to understand what lies behind the education policies of recent governments. It is tempting to conclude that if a leading educational sociologist such as Geoff Whitty, who happens also to be brother of the former general secretary of the Labour party, has difficulty with this, there can be little hope for the rest of us. But now, at least, we have this personal odyssey to guide us′ - Bob Doe, Times Educational Supplement This book aims to make sense of the changes in education policy over the past decade, using the resources of the sociology and politics of education. The author shows that wider sociological perspectives can help us to appreciate both the limits and the possibilities of educational change. Geoff Whitty illustrates this through studies of curriculum innovation, school choice, teacher professionalism and school improvement. He considers how far education policy can be used to foster social inclusion and social justice and the book concludes with an assessment of New Labour education policy in these terms. The book deals with education policy in England and Wales, as well as making comparisons with contemporary education policy in other countries. This book is relevant to students of education at masters and doctoral levels, students of social policy, and policy-makers.