Problematising flagship disadvantage policies in English schools agenda setting and incoherence in the absence of an over arching theory of change.pdf (891.33 kB)
Problematising flagship ‘disadvantage’ policies in English schools: agenda setting and incoherence in the absence of an over-arching theory of change
This paper draws on research conducted in four state schools with sixth forms to problematise two flagship ‘disadvantage’ policy agendas in the English context: the Pupil Premium (focusing on the narrowing of attainment gaps) and widening participation (focusing on fairer university access). While such ‘priority’ policies necessarily incorporate the promise of change, it argues that multiple forms of incoherence militate against this, including: their relative agenda-setting power in a highly marketised system; the contested, constitutive power of different proxy indicators; competing policy preferences that under-attend to the intersections between educational opportunities and material disadvantage. In contrast, interviews with school staff highlighted the transformative potential of lived experiences of disadvantage and reinforced the importance of adopting a wider lens than that of the school. The paper concludes that the absence of an over-arching theory of change is part of ‘the problem’ and it suggests where the mapping of one might begin.
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- Published
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- Published version
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International Studies in Sociology of EducationISSN
0962-0214Publisher
Informa UK LimitedExternal DOI
Page range
1-22Department affiliated with
- Education Publications
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- Yes
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- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2023-01-04First Open Access (FOA) Date
2023-01-04First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2023-01-04Usage metrics
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