Geoffrey Walford - Böcker

Fuelled by social equity concerns, there have been vigorous debates on the appropriateness of certain non-state actors, particularly those with commercial and entrepreneurial motives, to meet universal education goals. There are further questions on the relative effectiveness of government and private schooling in delivering good learning outcomes for all. Within this debate, several empirical questions abound. Do students from poorer backgrounds achieve as well in private schools as their advantaged peers? What are the relative out-of-pocket costs of accessing private schooling compared to government schooling? Is fee-paying non-state provision ‘affordable’ to the poorest households? What is the nature of the education market at different levels? What are the relationships between different non-state actors and the state, and how should they conduct themselves? The chapters in this volume present new empirical evidence and conduct critical analysis on some of these questions. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Oxford Review of Education.

First published in 1989, Private Schools in Ten Countries provides a much needed comparative study, examining private schooling in England and Wales, Scotland, the USA, Canada, Australia, France, West Germany, the Netherlands and Japan. The authors, all experts in their field, describe the nature and extent of private schooling in an historical, economic, and social context. They discuss government policy and assess the available evidence on the relationship between attendance at a public school and the maintenance of inequalities in that society. Unique in its discussion of private schooling in a range of countries this book will enable educationists, politicians and policy makers to look beyond the confines of their own country and to give constructive consideration to the variety of ways in which education can be provided and funded

First published in 1989, Private Schools in Ten Countries provides a much needed comparative study, examining private schooling in England and Wales, Scotland, the USA, Canada, Australia, France, West Germany, the Netherlands and Japan. The authors, all experts in their field, describe the nature and extent of private schooling in an historical, economic, and social context. They discuss government policy and assess the available evidence on the relationship between attendance at a public school and the maintenance of inequalities in that society. Unique in its discussion of private schooling in a range of countries this book will enable educationists, politicians and policy makers to look beyond the confines of their own country and to give constructive consideration to the variety of ways in which education can be provided and funded

Thirteen major educationalists offer semi-autobiographical accounts of their own influential research work, focusing on the practical and personal realities of the research process. Authors such as Barbara Tizard and Martin Hughes, Stephen J. Ball, David Reynolds and Peter Mortimore discuss their approaches to aspects of research from conception and funding of the project to information gathering and analysis, writing up and publishing.

This volume explores Durkheim's place in modern educational thought at three different levels:* Durkheim's ideas on education are analyzed and placed in the context of modern society* current educational issues are explored using a Durkheimian framework* Durkheim's thought is related to that of modern educational theorists to reveal his enduring influenceIn discussing Durkheim's modern relevance, the contributors stress his desire to integrate the practical and theoretical aspects of education. They identify particular pertinence in his focus upon the moral base of education and his insistence upon the importance of the social and society.

Durkeim's book on suicide, first published in 1897, is widely regarded as a classic text, and is essential reading for any student of Durkheim's thought and sociological method. This book examines the continuing importance of Durkheim's methodology. The wide-ranging chapters cover such issues as the use of statistics, explanation of suicide, anomie and religion and the morality of suicide. It will be of vital interest to any serious scholar of Durkheim's thought and to the sociologist looking for a fresh methodological perspective.

This book presents a valuable and authoritative evaluation of the real impact Labour’s two terms have had on the British education system.On the 1st May 1997 the British electorate witnessed a watershed moment. After an eighteen year Conservative rule, a New Labour government took office. When asked what his top three priorities were for the first term, Tony Blair stated that they would be ‘education, education, education.’ This book questions the extent to which the policy has met the rhetoric; examining Labour’s education policy, practice and achievements during Blair’s two terms in office.This selection of writings by highly respected academics in this field charts and evaluates the effects of policy changes on the various sectors of the educational system and on the major indicators of inequality. This book was previously published as a special issue of the Oxford Review of Education.

This book brings together key articles that trace the development of British education policy since 1975 and provides a valuable route map to developments within education policy during this period. It includes twenty-six seminal articles from the Oxford Review of Education written by many of the leading authors in the field and covering issues and topics with a wide significance beyond Britain. In one, easy-to-access place, this authoritative reference book provides a collection of articles that have made an important impact on policy studies and cover a broad range of significant policy issues, including:equality in education school effectiveness special educational needs school choice fourteen to nineteen education the structure of the educational system. The book has been compiled by the current editors of the journal to show the development of the field, and their specially written introduction contextualises the selection and introduces students to the main issues and current thinking in the field.

This book presents a valuable and authoritative evaluation of the real impact Labour’s two terms have had on the British education system.On the 1st May 1997 the British electorate witnessed a watershed moment. After an eighteen year Conservative rule, a New Labour government took office. When asked what his top three priorities were for the first term, Tony Blair stated that they would be ‘education, education, education.’ This book questions the extent to which the policy has met the rhetoric; examining Labour’s education policy, practice and achievements during Blair’s two terms in office.This selection of writings by highly respected academics in this field charts and evaluates the effects of policy changes on the various sectors of the educational system and on the major indicators of inequality. This book was previously published as a special issue of the Oxford Review of Education.

The United Kingdom General Election on 1st May 1997 gave a landslide victory to a re-vitalised Labour Party. Tony Blair became Prime Minister with a huge Commons majority of 179 over all other parties. Such a majority meant that extensive changes of policy could be implemented with little effective opposition. During the election campaign Tony Blair had repeatedly claimed that the top three priorities of a New Labour government would be 'education, education, education' , and on page two of the Labour Party's election manifesto a smiling Blair is seen with Nelson Mandela - the unacknowledged originator of the oratorical education triplet. Following a third Election victory in 2005 and after over ten years as Prime Minister, Blair finally stepped down to Gordon Brown in mid-2007, but only after a promotional ‘final tour’ that lasted several months. Towards the end, Blair devoted considerable efforts to try to ensure that his legacy would be positive and that he would be remembered for more than his role in the Iraq war. But what is his legacy in the field of education? This book brings together the assessments of key educational researchers who have been centrally involved with both the critique and implementation of various policy developments. It is now time to make a solid academic evaluation of his influence on education. This book is timely, and relates directly to the central policy themes of the last decade. It considers the relationships between theory and practice and examines the nature of policy and politics. Each contribution will review empirical data and policy changes relating to Blair’s period as Prime Minister and will make an assessment of the enduring effects of changes in policy. Each will assess the long-term and lasting effects as well as the shorter-term responses. This book was published as a special issue of the Oxford Review of Education.

This collection of specially commissioned articles exposes the practical and personal influences on the process of doing sociology of education. All of the authors have been involved in conducting well know major research projects, and discuss here the pitfalls and problems, conflicts and compromises that went into doing their particular research. A particular feature of the book is that a wide variety of types of research in the sociology of education is covered. The range is from small-scale ethnographic case studies to large-scale postal questionnaire sample surveys and includes studies based on interviews, observation and questionnaires. There are examples of longitudinal work in case studies and in surveys. The collection also includes discussions of action research, the development and influence of theory, and the relationship between research and policy.

Britain’s public (that is, its major independent) schools have a conspicuous role in the country’s social system, and as a result are the subject of a long-standing political debate. The discussion is generally founded on a stereotyped image of what these school may have been like in the 1950s – this books shows how they were in the late 1980s. It is based on fieldwork in two major public boarding schools which the author conducted over an extended period, and draws on interviews, observation and documentary sources to establish a picture of what public school life is actually like for pupils and staff. Since the schools were predominantly male preserves, the major part of the book describes the social world and experiences of boys and school-masters. An important section of the book, however, discusses the introduction of girl pupils, the experiences of female teachers and the way schoolmasters’ wives tend to be drawn into their husbands’ work.Geoffrey Walford’s conclusions about life in public schools differ considerably from traditional expectations. At the same time he asks whether there really has been a ‘public school revolution’. His book makes an important contribution to our knowledge of public schools, to debates in the sociology of education and to the issues of abolishing or extending the independent sector.

Can privilege be bought? Arguments have raged over whether private education in the UK is ‘the cement in the wall’ dividing British society, or whether parental choice is, as has also been argued ‘a key component of a free society’. The author here describes the traditional private sector schools, paying attention to the ways in which parents can purchase privilege for their children through attendance at such schools. He argues that the privatized system is kept under tight control if a growth in social and educational inequality and a deepening of social class and ethnic group division is to be avoided. The book is unique in combining an account of private schools in Britain with an examination of the process of privatization.

This collection of specially commissioned articles exposes the practical and personal influences on the process of doing sociology of education. All of the authors have been involved in conducting well know major research projects, and discuss here the pitfalls and problems, conflicts and compromises that went into doing their particular research. A particular feature of the book is that a wide variety of types of research in the sociology of education is covered. The range is from small-scale ethnographic case studies to large-scale postal questionnaire sample surveys and includes studies based on interviews, observation and questionnaires. There are examples of longitudinal work in case studies and in surveys. The collection also includes discussions of action research, the development and influence of theory, and the relationship between research and policy.

Britain’s public (that is, its major independent) schools have a conspicuous role in the country’s social system, and as a result are the subject of a long-standing political debate. The discussion is generally founded on a stereotyped image of what these school may have been like in the 1950s – this books shows how they were in the late 1980s. It is based on fieldwork in two major public boarding schools which the author conducted over an extended period, and draws on interviews, observation and documentary sources to establish a picture of what public school life is actually like for pupils and staff. Since the schools were predominantly male preserves, the major part of the book describes the social world and experiences of boys and school-masters. An important section of the book, however, discusses the introduction of girl pupils, the experiences of female teachers and the way schoolmasters’ wives tend to be drawn into their husbands’ work.Geoffrey Walford’s conclusions about life in public schools differ considerably from traditional expectations. At the same time he asks whether there really has been a ‘public school revolution’. His book makes an important contribution to our knowledge of public schools, to debates in the sociology of education and to the issues of abolishing or extending the independent sector.

Can privilege be bought? Arguments have raged over whether private education in the UK is ‘the cement in the wall’ dividing British society, or whether parental choice is, as has also been argued ‘a key component of a free society’. The author here describes the traditional private sector schools, paying attention to the ways in which parents can purchase privilege for their children through attendance at such schools. He argues that the privatized system is kept under tight control if a growth in social and educational inequality and a deepening of social class and ethnic group division is to be avoided. The book is unique in combining an account of private schools in Britain with an examination of the process of privatization.

This volume explores Durkheim's place in modern educational thought at three different levels:* Durkheim's ideas on education are analyzed and placed in the context of modern society* current educational issues are explored using a Durkheimian framework* Durkheim's thought is related to that of modern educational theorists to reveal his enduring influenceIn discussing Durkheim's modern relevance, the contributors stress his desire to integrate the practical and theoretical aspects of education. They identify particular pertinence in his focus upon the moral base of education and his insistence upon the importance of the social and society.

Hitherto only a small proportion of the research on private education has been on the schooling of girls. Debate on the subject, while often heated, even prejudiced, proceeds largely in ignorance of the historical development of private schooling, the currently changing nature of private schooling, and the wide diversity of provision of private schooling. This collection of previously unpublished essays presents important new research on the history and development of girls' private schools, their present role and the experience of privately educated girls. Taken together, the findings are both enlightening and likely to stimulate further exploration of this surprisingly under-researched area.

British private schools are a continuing topic of fascination for many. In particular, the leading so-called public schools have long been subjected both to criticism for their elitism and praise for their academic success. Traditionally, Conservative governments have strongly supported the private sector through special funding such as the Assisted Places Scheme, while Labour governments have reduced the private sector's support from the state and threatened to abolish it. However, the present new Labour government has reversed Labour's former oppostion to private schools and sought co-operation between the two sectors. This has led to an increasing interest in the realities of the private schools; and this book brings together the best of recently conducted research on the various aspects of private schooling, through a series of specially commissioned, previously unpublished essays.

Examines the ideals which lay behind the development of comprehensive schools. Written by 14 British educationalists, this text considers the evidence and suggests how further progress might be made within the moral framework of secondary education for all, irrespective of background or ability. The text includes an afterword by the Rt Hon John Prescott, MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.

This book brings together semi-autobiographical accounts from major educationalists about their influential research, focusing on the practical and personal aspects of the research process.The collection reflects the great changes that have occured within educational research since the 1980s and deals with the issues and situations of the late 1990s. It includes accounts that cover the various stages of the research process, a sampling of topics, the diversity of methodologies used in educational research and a range of theoretical perspectives. There is coverage of qualitative and quantitative methodologies and of large and smaller scale research. Also discussed are: ESRC programme research, contract research and theoretical research.

This book brings together semi-autobiographical accounts from major educationalists about their influential research, focusing on the practical and personal aspects of the research process.The collection reflects the great changes that have occured within educational research since the 1980s and deals with the issues and situations of the late 1990s. It includes accounts that cover the various stages of the research process, a sampling of topics, the diversity of methodologies used in educational research and a range of theoretical perspectives. There is coverage of qualitative and quantitative methodologies and of large and smaller scale research. Also discussed are: ESRC programme research, contract research and theoretical research.

The series as a whole recognises that the nature of ethnography is contested, and takes this to be a sign of its strength and vitality. This second volume in the series focuses on debates and developments in methodology and the many ways in which ethnographic work interacts with education. The contributions to this volume are diverse and challenging. They indicate that ethnography is a rich field that has much to offer the study of education. Particular chapters are concerned with access to research sites, critical ethnography, text construction, dilemmas of researching different ethnic groups and or researching children, the influence of the researcher, writing ethnography, ethno-drama, and the concept of triangulation.

Studies of gender and education have been at the forefront of much ethnographic research for several decades, but the interest in sexualities and education is more recent. Indeed, to study sexualities and schooling is, almost in itself, a challenge to many common assumptions about children and what it is 'to be a child'. However, study of the nature and construction of gender and sexuality has now become a recognized and highly productive research area, and one that is highly suited to ethnographic methods. The new research presented in these chapters illustrates some of the range of recent work in the area and the power of ethnography to uncover the complex and contested processes of construction.

This book emphasises the central place that ethnographic work should have in the formulation and evaluation of education policy. Ethnographic studies contribute to a greater understanding of the process formulation, evaluation and critique. First, careful studies of policy initiatives at the local level can show the extent to which change actually occurs in practice. Second, ethnographic studies can investigate the unintended consequences as well as those planned by the policy. Third, ethnography can investigate the effects of policies in such a way that contradictions within the original policy itself are illuminated. As well as studying the effects and impact of policy, ethnography can also be useful in the formulation of new policies. The various chapters gathered together here give many examples of the ways that ethnography can trace the effects of particular policy developments and may be able to influence future policy debates. The contributors and case studies relate to several countries including the United States, Italy, England, France, Sweden and Switzerland, showing not only that ethnographic research in education is now widespread, but also increasing relevance to policy.

Volume five of this expanding series of books draws together a collection of papers based on a particular form of critical ethnography developed by Phil Francis Carspecken and his colleagues at the University of Houston. Each chapter is based on a unique field project conducted in the Houston area which was planned and conducted by its particular author, but each chapter shares and exemplifies a common methodological theory. The Houston version of critical ethnography attempts to deal with some challenges from certain feminist and postmodern writers about the validity of qualitative research, and the authors argue that clear methods and standards exist for conducting qualitative studies such that well supported findings may be distinguished from highly questionable ones. Following an initial chapter by Carspecken which outlines the theory and methodology adopted, are seven case studies which cover such topics as multicultural literature, the supervision of teachers in training, school restructuring, charter schools, and race and standardized testing.

What counts as ethnography and what counts as good ethnographic methodology are both highly contested. Volume 6 of this expanding series of books draws together a collection of chapters presenting a diversity of views on some of the debates and developments in ethnographic methodology. It does not try to present a single coherent view but, through its heterogeneity, illustrates the strength and liveliness of debate within this area. The chapters cover central topics such as the challenges to conventional views about validity in ethnographic work, feminist research, comparison within ethnographic research, the public identification of research sites, and the ethics and practice of research involving children. Other chapters deal with relatively newer topics such as the conduct of electronic ethnography, the development of the imagination and emotion within ethnographic writing, and the use of hypertext in the analysis and representation of ethnographic work.

Doing a doctorate in education is always a challenging and difficult process. Doing a doctorate in education that is based upon ethnographic research is even more so. This title draws together a series of semi-autobiographical reflexive accounts of the process of doing a doctorate using educational ethnography. The individual studies include research into school effectiveness, the experiences of Asian teenagers, sexual cultures in the primary school, mature students on Access courses, primary school management, the experiences of children with special educational needs, teachers' work intensification, the family and school experiences of Year 9 students and a Youth Training programme within English professional football. The range of topics shows how import ethnographic work has become in education. Most of the contributors are still at the early stage of their academic careers. Their writings have not yet attained "classic" status - although some may be on the way to such status. The doctoral process is still a vivid memory in their minds and they have been able to drawn upon their fieldnotes and recollections to construct accounts that shed light on their experience and help to demystify it. The book should be of value for those who are thinking of doing a doctorate, for others still struggling through the process and for their supervisors.

Within the United Kingdom questions about the relevance of educational research and its relationship to policy have recently been the centre of a prolonged, public and sometimes acrimonious debate. The chapters in this book illustrate the ability of ethnographic work to assist in understanding the effects of educational policies to gradually influence the policy discourse. The book includes studies of policy initiatives at the local level that show the extent to which an intended change actually occurred in practice, others where actual change occurred, but there were unintended consequences as well as those planned by the policy, and others that illuminate the contradictions within the original policy itself. Chapters focus on a diversity of topics such as the ideology of educational 'success', politics and school mathematics, ITC teaching, sports coaching, basic skills provision for offenders, second language learning, ESOL teaching, primary teachers work, and the teaching of reading and spelling.