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Context matters: primary schools and academies reform in England
There is little conclusive evidence linking academies reform in England with school improvement. While this reform has been effective in improving educational outcomes in some contexts, it has been resoundingly unsuccessful in others. Nevertheless, political faith in autonomous schooling as key to a world-class education remains strong. This paper considers how matters of context impact on approaches to and enactments of this policy. Drawing on case study data from two groups of primary schools from (1) a local authority and (2) an academy chain, the paper examines the particular situated, professional, material and external factors that impact on these schools’ capacities to cope with and respond to academies reform. In light of the continued tendency within policy for schools to be dematerialised, the paper argues the ongoing significance of greater attention to matters of context in understanding how schools are navigating the complex terrain of this reform.
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Journal of education policyVolume
34Issue
1Pagination
6 - 21Publisher
Taylor & FrancisLocation
Abingdon, Eng.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0268-0939eISSN
1464-5106Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2017, Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis GroupUsage metrics
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