Christine Skelton is Professor of Gender Equality in Education at University of Birmingham, UK. Barbara Read is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Education, Roehampton University, UK. Becky Francis is Director of Education at the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), UK, and Visiting Professor at King's College London, UK, and Roehampton University, UK.

Winner of the Society for Educational Studies Annual Book Prize 2013

• Introduction; 1. The Policy Context: Educational 'standards' and human capital; 2. Conceptualising High Achievement: Theoretical perspectives on social identity and achievement; 3. Enabling High Achievement: The shared practices of high achieving pupils; 4. 'Boffins and Geeks': The social consequences for young people constructed as 'too hardworking'; 5. The Challenge of 'Balance': Anxieties concerning the tension between high achievement and popularity; 6. High Achieving and Popular: The ideal neoliberal subject?; 7. The Classroom Practices Adopted by Pupils Accomplishing Popularity and High Achievement; 8. Implications for Schools; Index.

Christine Skelton is Professor of Gender Equality in Education at University of Birmingham, UK. Barbara Read is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Education, Roehampton University, UK. Becky Francis is Director of Education at the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), UK, and Visiting Professor at King's College London, UK, and Roehampton University, UK.

Winner of the Society for Educational Studies Annual Book Prize 2013

• Introduction; 1. The Policy Context: Educational 'standards' and human capital; 2. Conceptualising High Achievement: Theoretical perspectives on social identity and achievement; 3. Enabling High Achievement: The shared practices of high achieving pupils; 4. 'Boffins and Geeks': The social consequences for young people constructed as 'too hardworking'; 5. The Challenge of 'Balance': Anxieties concerning the tension between high achievement and popularity; 6. High Achieving and Popular: The ideal neoliberal subject?; 7. The Classroom Practices Adopted by Pupils Accomplishing Popularity and High Achievement; 8. Implications for Schools; Index.

Christine Skelton is Professor of Gender Equality in Education at University of Birmingham, UK. Barbara Read is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Education, Roehampton University, UK. Becky Francis is Director of Education at the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), UK, and Visiting Professor at King's College London, UK, and Roehampton University, UK.

Winner of the Society for Educational Studies Annual Book Prize 2013

• Introduction; 1. The Policy Context: Educational 'standards' and human capital; 2. Conceptualising High Achievement: Theoretical perspectives on social identity and achievement; 3. Enabling High Achievement: The shared practices of high achieving pupils; 4. 'Boffins and Geeks': The social consequences for young people constructed as 'too hardworking'; 5. The Challenge of 'Balance': Anxieties concerning the tension between high achievement and popularity; 6. High Achieving and Popular: The ideal neoliberal subject?; 7. The Classroom Practices Adopted by Pupils Accomplishing Popularity and High Achievement; 8. Implications for Schools; Index.