An analytical framework for policy engagement: the contested case of 14–19 reform in England

Preschool Teachers’ Understandings of the National Preschool Curriculum in Greece

“…That is, how a policy process itself is perceived has a significant impact on how this particular policy will work out (Osgood 2004). The model thus helps to explain why policies may be conceived in one way at the level of policy text production, for example, but may be interpreted quite differently at the level of implementation, leading to both intended and unintended outcomes (Hodgson and Spours 2006). It also helps to explain how different parties in the policy-making process may enjoy a privileged position at different points in the policy cycle.…”

Liberal conservatism, vocationalism and further education in England

“…On the one hand, there was an emphasis on individual entitlement but this was combined with an ideology of 'responsibilitisation'. Indeed, there were certain continuities between the project of Conservative governments between 1979 and 1997 and that of New Labour (Hodgson and Spours 2006). This is perhaps unsurprising; both operated within a neo-liberal polity in which the working class rather than capitalist economic and social relations were seen as the problem to be solved.…”

History education in comprehensive schools: using school-level data to interpret national patterns

“…By introducing a new measure by which to judge schools, namely a good GCSE pass in English, mathematics, science, a modern or ancient language, and a humanities subject (defined as either history or geography), the government has made a strong statement about what it considers to be an appropriate education for young people. Although there is no compulsion on schools to ensure all students study these five areas, this is a further example of the kind of arm's-length governance (Hodgson & Spours, 2006;Ozga, 2009) by which New Labour's emphasis on securing five A ⁄ -C grades previously encouraged many schools to steer students towards those subjects or types of courses in which they thought it would be easier for them to succeed. It would be a bold headteacher who chose to ignore this latest measure of school performance, and they will perhaps only do so in those contexts where a particular combination of situated and professional factors (Ball et al, 2011a) makes schools confident enough to follow their own educational agenda.…”

“…This presents an interesting puzzle, especially as there had been no directives from government demanding such changes take place. There are arms-length devices (Hodgson & Spours, 2006) that create incentives for schools to maximise particular outcomes, such as examination pass rates, but how schools respond to these is an individual school decision.…”