Policy and Practice in Primary Education

Detailed accounts of two influential initiatives of the 1990s, whose educational and political lessons remain highly relevant: systemic and pedagogic reform in one of Britains largest cities, and the controversial three wise men government enquiry into primary teaching to which it led.

Alexanders controversial and widely-read report on primary education in Leeds has now been revised as a major study of policy initiatives in primary education and their impact on practice. The book examines an ambitious programme of local reform aimed at improving teaching and learning in the primary schools of one of Britains largest cities. It addresses important questions about childrens needs, the curriculum, classroom practice and school management. When first published, Robin Alexanders report was hailed as seminal and the most important document since Plowden but it was also quoted and misquoted in support of widely opposed political and media agendas. This new edition retains Part I from the first edition, detailing the impact of Leeds LEAs programme for educational reform. However, it also provides a totally new and greatly extended Part II, which gives an insiders account of the sequel to the Leeds report - the governments 1992 three wise men report. There is also a new introduction.