Abstract
About Our Schools offers a rich, fascinating, and first-hand account of educational policy beginning with James Callaghan's landmark speech at Ruskin College in 1976 through to the present day. I say ‘first-hand’ because the authors have been participants within the English school system throughout their respective lives and careers in a range of different roles at school and policy level. They have therefore not only had ‘front row seats’ for much of what they detail and explore throughout the book but have been and continue to be actively involved in the school system in one way or another. Consequently, the reader is offered a deep insight into the nuances of educational policy and how it influences what happens in schools and those who lead, teach, and learn within them.
The book is structured into four parts beginning with political influence and how state involvement in schooling has shaped the school system over the last 40 years. The second part then turns to what the authors refer to as the ‘occluded fronts’ namely what is taught and how (curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment), teacher recruitment, retention and capacity, and school improvement and leadership. Part three considers some of the barriers to success by focusing on key debates surrounding equity and inclusion (with a nod to how the school system is financed). The final section of the book ends more hopefully with a consideration of the future direction of schooling in England and the possibilities for lasting and positive change.
At over 600 pages this is not an afternoon read. Although, given the structure, it is possible to dip into different sections and chapters rather than reading it from cover to cover. That said, the amount of terrain covered here is vast and when combined with the very impressive list of contributors (I cannot immediately recall another book on schools that includes testimonies from 14 secretaries of state for education) the length is justifiable. Moreover, the style in which it has been written, interwoven with insights and perspectives from such a significant number of leading educational figures (whose names grace the cover), makes for compelling reading.
The book is littered with notable anecdotes that give the reader pause for thought including Kenneth Clarke's decision, in 1991, to set up a commission to produce a discussion paper on the primary curriculum, a paper that would ultimately serve to justify a policy in this area that had, to all intends and purposes, already been determined. This kind of practice is ubiquitous today, but Clarke was the first secretary of state to pursue such a tactic. One of the other things that strikes you as you read the book are the genealogical linkages between various policies that often span governments and political parties enlightening the reader as to just how politicised education and schooling are in England (and, also, the importance of understanding the historical context, something that is too often conveniently ignored in educational policy discussions.)
At times, it is quite a chaotic read in which the authors introduce, but do not always dwell on, a myriad of issues, themes, theories, and ideas. In this way, the narrative mirrors the turbulent policy environment/climate it seeks to throw light on and certainly provides the reader with an authentic impression of the complexities England's school system. That said, the final section, in which the authors draw on their collective wisdom and the rich insights within the book to put forward suggestions for the future of state-funded schooling in England, offers much food for thought. Whilst funding of the school system at a national level is touched upon, there is no mention of the cohort of the educational workforce that have assumed responsibility for managing the financial and operational aspect of schools over the last quarter of a century or so. The school business leadership community might be entitled to feel somewhat aggrieved by this oversight given their crucial role in supporting schools to operate as financially viable organisations (or indeed small-medium sized businesses in respect of England's prevailing academy trust model).
Nevertheless, the book is a captivating read and there is a distinctiveness about the way it has been written by two educationalists who care deeply about the school system they have devoted their lives to and the young people it serves. Anyone with an interest and/or stake in education will learn something from reading it and quite possibly find themselves reflecting on what they thought they already knew about schooling and educational policymaking.
