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Every generation faces challenges, but never before have young people been so aware of theirs. Whether due to school strikes for climate change, civil war, or pandemic lockdowns, almost every child in the world has experienced the interruption of their schooling by outside forces. When the world we have taken for granted proves so unstable, it gives rise to the question: what is schooling for? Thrive advocates a new purpose for education, in a rapidly changing world, and analyses the reasons why change is urgently needed in our education systems. The book identifies four levels of thriving: global – our place in the planet; societal – localities, communities, economies; interpersonal – our relationships; intrapersonal – the self. Chapters provide research-based theoretical evidence for each area, followed by practical international case studies showing how individual schools are addressing these considerable challenges. Humanity's challenges are shifting fast: schools need to be a part of the response.

This paper (written by a Chief Education Officer wholly in a personal capacity) argues that appraising New Labour's energetic programme of educational policies from an LEA perspective should utilise the values of pluralism, achievement and equality of opportunity. The Government's actions directly related to LEAs themselves meant that LEAs now operate under close direction, under licence and subject to rigorous and high stakes scrutiny. There is a consequential loss of pluralism. The attempts of the Government significantly to raise ‘standards of achievement’ are assessed, as are its claims to have re‐addressed issues of equality of opportunity

This paper investigates the ways in which HMI evaluate the performance of secondary schools in public examinations. It examines the 35 ‘long’ reports (i.e. those covering full inspections) published in the first year in which reports became publicly available, 1983. Four evaluative frameworks are identified as having been employed, and the manner in which these were utilized is analysed. The paper questions whether the strategies adopted are equally fair to all schools, and to what extent understanding of schools’ contexts (especially knowledge about ability levels at intake) is brought to bear in the summary assessments made.

(1982). The education act 1981: New rights and duties in special education. The Journal of Social Welfare Law: Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 275-284.