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Character education is a specific approach to morals or values education, which is consistently linked with citizenship education. But how is it possible for a heterogeneous society that disagrees about basic values to reach a consensus on what constitutes character education? This article explores how character education has returned to the agenda of British education policy, having been largely neglected since the 1960s in response to unsatisfactory attempts at character education going back to the nineteenth century. Between 1979 and 1997 Conservative governments attempted to reverse a perceived decline in moral standards, established State control of the schools curriculum, imposed on State schools the duty to provide for moral and other development, and established a National Forum which attempted to articulate a set of consensus values in education. Labour has extended these developments in the curriculum, introduced compulsory citizenship education, and its White Paper of September 2001 speaks of ‘education with character’. The character and virtues Labour seeks to promote through schools are pragmatic and instrumental in intention, linked to raising pupil school performance, meeting the needs of the new economy, and promoting democratic participation. Otherwise the vision is pluralistic and evades explicit directives, and there is no explanation or analysis of its theoretical basis. The question of how agreement can be reached on what counts as character education may benefit from Sunstein's analysis of how law is possible in a heterogeneous society –‘incompletely theorized agreements on particular cases’ allow for common laws without agreement on fundamental principles. Many schools in fact operate in this way, but such a consensus is not entirely stable and runs the danger of teaching character education as a series of behaviour outcomes taught in a behaviourist fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses efforts of the British Association for the Advancement of Science aimed at promoting scientific education in British schools. Date the association was founded; Number of members appointed to study the scientific qualifications of inspectors in elementary schools; Reason why the committee's term of reference was altered in 1981.

Evaluates the implications of career education research for schools of unemployment and the growing uncertainties about the future of work in Great Britain. Aspects to be noted in evaluating the state career education; Effects of the rise in employment on education in general and career education in particular; Issues relating to the future of work.

Presents an overview of issues related to policy developments in education in Great Britain. Assessment of quality in schools; Role of the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative on the quality; Critique of educational policies.

Evaluates the effect of introducing markets into the institutional system of education and promotes the claim of a learning democracy in Great Britain. Chubb and Moe's arguments on markets and democratic control; Markets' promotion of autonomy; Suggested reading by Ministers of Education for their civil servants.

Focuses on several issues concerning the work of primary teachers in Great Britain. Implementation of a new national curriculum that changes the nature of teaching; Examination of the working hours of infant teachers in a week; Assessment of the working conditions of teachers; Increase in the tasks of primary teachers.

Discusses the contemporary rhetoric and practices dominant in British education. Major changes introduced in the British educational system; Impact of the economic condition of the country on education; External factors that affects the condition of education.

The article discusses the research done in Great Britain which concerns religious education in schools that recommends the purpose of a personal quest for truth. Based from the works of Edwin Cox, the values and beliefs that are going to be existent and imperative to them denotes the aim of religious education. On the other hand, religious education should be aimed to explore the place and significance of religion in human life. Thus, contributing to the search for faith in every pupil by which to live is significant.

Discusses the concept of pastoral care in educational institutions in Great Britain. Introduction of the concept in education; Description of pastoral care as a personal responsibility for pupils; Definition of pastoral care as the non-instructional aspects of the roles of teachers and others in schools; Association of pastoral care to guidance and counseling.