This book chronicles the history of the struggle to promote a self-governing body for the teaching profession from its early problems at the start of the twentieth century right through to the establishment of the General Teaching Council of England in 2000. It also explores the interest groups and policy makers who impeded its achievement and the attitude of teacher unions and the teachers themselves to the establishment of such a body. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers and historians, as well as postgraduate students.

This book chronicles the history of the struggle to promote a self-governing body for the teaching profession from its early problems at the start of the twentieth century right through to the establishment of the General Teaching Council of England in 2000. It also explores the interest groups and policy makers who impeded its achievement and the attitude of teacher unions and the teachers themselves to the establishment of such a body. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers and historians, as well as postgraduate students.

For 50 years, educator and sociologist Geoff Whitty resolutely pursued social justice through education, first as a classroom teacher and ultimately as the Director of the Institute of Education in London. The essays in this volume - written by some of the most influential authors in the sociology of education and critical policy studies - take Whitty’s work as the starting point from which to examine key contemporary issues in education and the challenges to social justice that they present. Set within three themes of knowledge, policy and practice in education, the chapters tackle the issues of defining and accessing ‘legitimate’ knowledge, the changing nature of education policy under neoliberalism and globalization, and the reshaping of teacher workplaces and professionalism – as well as attempts to realize more emancipatory practice. Whitty’s scholarship on what constitutes quality and impact in educational research is also explored. Together, the essays open a window on a life in the sociology of education, the scholarly community of which it was part, and the facets of education policy, practice and research that they continue to reveal and challenge in pursuit of social justice. They celebrate Whitty as one of the foremost sociologists of education of his generation, but also as a friend and colleague. And they highlight the continued relevance of his contribution to those seeking to promote fairer and more inclusive education systems.

Born in South London in the late 1950s, I enjoyed a happy upbringing. My childhood showed few signs that as an adult I would experience severe mental illness. I considered university as the only true home for me, so I enrolled on a number of undergraduate and post-graduate courses, only to suffer even worse symptoms. I battled through, and despite enduring schizophrenia and depression, I not only gained the academic equivalent of five degrees, including a Ph.D., but also secured engaging employment as a freelance journalist, a published author of five books, and a historian.

This book engagingly presents an intriguing account of many of the principles of UK government politics and how these have an important bearing on everyday office life as experienced by the working population. Here is a fascinating account of the findings of two former Cabinet ministers Lords Blunkett and Baker who were interviewed by the author. Oral testimony allows the reader to learn about the perspectives of political power brokers and provides data and insight not always apparent or revealed from historical records and archive material. The overriding aim is to analyse the nature of politicking in central government and to apply the techniques and lessons of national politics to everyday office life. The book offers a political framework, giving behavioural pointers to assist those who face challenging circumstances that could impinge on their well-being and business efficiency in the workplace. A back to basics methodology is advised, touching on a range of techniques, including, for example, that gossip is an effective way of getting back at someone. This touches upon Blunketts assertion that Michael Gove MP is a zealot and a politician having an ideological obsession. Applying the Lessons refers moreover to cases calling for bargaining and negotiation, also a part of the life of the whips in Parliament, and an essential tool for office business. As a seasoned historian and political analyst, Richard Willis revealingly unravels the nature of political power and control, and shows how Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair initially supposedly gave Baker and Blunkett considerable scope in introducing reform. He goes on to explain how the two peers give their critique on policy-making against a background which is of definite benefit to office managers and supervisors, executive assistants, PAs, administrators, and administrative/administration assistants.

This book examines the significance of teacher expertise in the drive to improve quality and effectiveness. Scrutinising both key conceptual issues and current policy developments and approaches, the authors analyse educational systems from around the world and question how different cultural contexts and systems can implement measures to improve teacher effectiveness. The book analyses factors such as policy change and teacher evaluation as well as the regulation of the teaching profession to determine how these aspects can influence the expertise of individual teachers. As numerous policy interventions have tried to define and enhance teacher quality to raise pupil achievement, this book calls for an interrogation of this stance and signals a need to consider an alternative approach. This book will appeal to students and scholars of teacher effectiveness and professional learning, as well as researchers and policymakers.

Understanding Primary Education will help trainees and newly qualified teachers reflect on the professional decisions they need to make within their planning and classroom practice. The authors analyse key issues and policies within contemporary education through reference to research and pedagogical practice. They encourage readers to reflect on policy and practice and support them in articulating their own beliefs and values. A broad perspective of the curriculum is outlined with a focus on what curriculum breadth and balance looks like in practice. Readers are encouraged to consider questions such as: What are the purposes of education? What values are important in a pluralist society and what values might we share? In what ways can children be encouraged to be active participants within their communities?