Education across the United Kingdom 1944-2017 : local government, accountability and partnerships

"This book provides a comprehensive understanding of how education has developed over the last 70 years within the United Kingdom. As education in Wales and Scotland continues to develop following increasing devolution, the contributors draw from personal accounts and practical experience to provide a comparison and evaluation of these differences. A critical stage in the history of education has been reached, particularly in light of the decision for Britain to leave the European Union: the authors explore the emergent fault lines and identify practical reforms. While this book will undoubtedly be of interest to educational historians, it will also be a valuable reference point for educationalists, practitioners and politicians. The contributors unpick the larger role of education in the United Kingdom and propose practical ways forward amid a time of crisis." -- Prové de l'editor Preface 5 Editorial Commentary 7 Acknowledgements 12 Contents 14 Notes on Contributors 16 1 They Knew Not Whither They Travelled: A Tour d’ Horizon 19 Illusion and Reality 19 A History in Three Phases 20 Beyond These Islands 20 A United Kingdom Analysis 21 Phase 1: 1945–1979 22 They Never Had It So Good 23 It All Starts Falling Apart: The First Revolution 25 Phase 2: 1979–1997 26 Phase 3: 1997 to the Present 30 Assessment 33 Bibliography 36 2 Partnership and Confidence 1944–1979 37 Part 1: Vagrant Student 38 The Promise of a Better World 38 Much of the Thinking Had Been Around for a Long Time 38 The Essence of the New Order 39 Current Realities 39 A ‘Liberal’ Settlement 39 Unfinished Business 40 As Viewed Imperfectly at the Time 40 Part 2: Neophyte Administrator 49 Earning a Crust 49 Part 3: Administrator 52 All Is Flux: Reorganization of Local Government and Education 52 A Fortuitous Move 52 A Ghost Prowled the Corridors of Shire Hall 53 Bluish Political Realities 54 Making Haste Slowly 55 A Gentle Quest for Consensus 55 Compromise Solutions in the North 56 Braver Plans in the Border Country 57 The Village College: A Script Rewritten 58 Changes in the South 59 Procrastination Could Not Be Sustained 59 New Realism: New Ground Rules 60 Concentration of Provision for the 16 Plus Population 60 The Search for Compromise 61 A Peculiarity in the City Centre 62 An Opportunity for Co-Operation Spurned 62 Musings as to What Would Happen 63 More Immediate Tasks 63 A Reorganization of Local Government and a Move to London 64 Epilogue and Assessment 68 A New Dawn Beckoned 70 Bibliography 74 3 The Destruction of the Local Education Authority in England 1974–2016 76 Mr. Butler’s Education Act 76 Mrs. Thatcher’s Education Revolution... ‘To Market, to Market...’ 78 ‘Under New Management’ 82 ‘You Can’t Fight City Hall’ 85 Local Financial Management Becomes National Financial Management 87 The Self-Governing School 90 ‘The Social Market’ 91 Diversity 91 Selection Makes a Comeback 95 Diversity or ‘Formlessness’? 96 Choice 99 An ‘Informed’ Choice 101 ‘A Thing of the Past’ 103 Clinging to the Wreckage: What Next? 104 Bibliography 106 4 Church Schools and Local Government: Partnerships and Accountabilities 107 The Nineteenth-Century Background 108 Balfour and Birrell 110 Butler’s Post-War Compromise 111 Religious Education 113 The LEAs and the Churches 115 Opting Out of the LEA into GMS 122 The Blair Era 128 The Coalition Years 2010–2015 133 The Future of Partnership? 142 Bibliography 150 5 Wales Since Devolution: Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen 152 The Chapter’s Scope 152 Distinguishing Characteristics 153 Central Advisory Councils 154 Initial Harmony 155 The Prompt to Change 159 Destabilizing Factors 160 Education and the Community 163 Higher Education 165 The Quest for Accountability 170 Devolved Budgets 171 Compulsory Curriculum 171 The Teaching of Welsh 172 Historic Weakness 172 ‘Globalization’ 172 The Assembly Government’s Response 173 Public and Commercial Sector Collaboration 174 Consortia and Renewed Focus 175 The Role of Head Teachers 176 Intervention and Indictment 177 The Anglican Church 178 Conclusion and Assessment 181 Bibliography 192 6 Education in Northern Ireland: A House Divided 194 Preface 194 Introduction 195 Historical Background 196 1944–1972 200 The Butler Act (1944) and Its Impact on the Northern Ireland Education System 200 Ora et Labora: Personal Reflections 203 The Dickson Plan—Variation on Selection 207 Local Government Downgraded? 210 Direct Rule 1972–1998 and Its Impact on Education 211 Education and Library Boards 211 Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) 214 Distant Ministers and Local Civil Servants 215 Education Becomes an Agent of Social Change 216 Integrated Education 217 The Belfast Agreement and Beyond—Conflict and Cooperation 219 Education at Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Level 222 Higher and Further Education 223 Community Education—Or Education of Adults? 225 Community Outreach Group—A Case Study 227 Central and Local Government Balance in Education? 228 A New Millennium with Old Problems? 229 More Trouble at Stormont 231 Bibliography 234 7 Scotland: A Reputation Challenged 236 The Chapter’s Purpose 236 Scotland’s Distinctiveness 237 Characteristics Common to the UK 237 Common Historical Phases 237 Phase 1: 1945–1979 238 The 1945 Education Act [Scotland] 238 Progress in Its Implementation 239 Circular 600 241 Changes in Society 242 Phase 2: 1979–1997 243 School Boards 244 Phase 3: 1997–The Present Time 245 Devolution 245 Consensus and the Curriculum for Excellence 245 An Initial Test 246 Education [Scotland] Act, 2009 246 Reviewing Curriculum for Excellence 247 The Organization for Economic and Cultural Development [OECD] 248 The National Improvement Framework 251 Overall Supplementary Themes 251 Local Government 252 General Teaching Council 253 Reshaping the Teaching Profession 254 The Role of the Churches 254 Adult Education 256 Further and Higher Education 258 Careers Advice 259 Gaelic 260 Commercial World and City Deals 261 Conclusions 262 References 266 8 Post-Brexit Education in the UK: A Formidable Challenge But a Chance to Change Direction in Schooling 269 Introduction 269 The Schooling System’s Inheritance 271 Conclusions 284 9 A Journalist’s View 288 10 A New Dispensation of Trust 301 Pragmatism and Evolution 301 Economic Prosperity and Cultural Change 302 Greater Institutional Independence 303 Devolution of Government 303 Tempering of State Interference 304 Reassertion of Professional Trust 304 Curbing Corporate Management 304 Changing Character of Community 305 Economic Necessity 305 The Proposed Reform 306 Separation Between Policy and Management 306 Maximum Subsidiarity 307 Pluralism in Provision 308 Comprehensive in Range 309 Democratic Accountability 309 City Regions and an Emergent Re-Organisation of Local Government 310 A Sensitive and Supporting Entity Between the State and Institution 312 The Building Bricks for a New Structure 312 Separation of Authority and Management 313 Executive Board 314 Conclusion 314 Bibliography 316 Index 317 Front Matter ....Pages i-xix They Knew Not Whither They Travelled: A Tour d’ Horizon (Robert McCloy)....Pages 1-18 Partnership and Confidence 1944–1979 (Robert McCloy)....Pages 19-57 The Destruction of the Local Education Authority in England 1974–2016 (Donald Naismith)....Pages 59-89 Church Schools and Local Government: Partnerships and Accountabilities (Priscilla Chadwick)....Pages 91-135 Wales Since Devolution: Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen (Robert McCloy)....Pages 137-178 Education in Northern Ireland: A House Divided (Mary Gethins)....Pages 179-220 Scotland: A Reputation Challenged (Robert McCloy)....Pages 221-253 Post-Brexit Education in the UK: A Formidable Challenge But a Chance to Change Direction in Schooling (Tim Brighouse)....Pages 255-273 A Journalist’s View (George Low)....Pages 275-287 A New Dispensation of Trust (Robert McCloy)....Pages 289-304 Back Matter ....Pages 305-315