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This paper traces the origins of the concept of personalisation in public sector services, and applies it to school education. The original conceptualisation stressed the need for ‘deep’ rather than shallow, personalisation, if radical transformation of services were to be achieved. It is argued that as the concept has been disseminated and implemented through policy documents, notably the 2005 White Paper, it has lost its original emphasis on deep personalisation. The focus in this article is particularly upon gifted and talented students whose education provides the best case example of how the theory of personalisation might work in practice. Two examples of the lessons in a sixth form college are used to illustrate the character of personalised pedagogy in practice. The implications for theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to articulate a new perspective on British multi-faith religious education that both complements and, in part, subsumes existing critiques. My argument, while controversial, is straightforward: it is that British religious education has misrepresented the nature of religion in efforts to commend itself as contributing to the social aims of education, as these are typically framed in liberal democratic societies. Contemporary multi-faith religious education is placed in context and its underlying theological and philosophical commitments identified and criticised. It is concluded that current representations of religion in British religious education are limited in their capacity to challenge racism and religious intolerance, chiefly because they are conceptually ill equipped to develop respect for difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Character education is a specific approach to morals or values education, which is consistently linked with citizenship education. But how is it possible for a heterogeneous society that disagrees about basic values to reach a consensus on what constitutes character education? This article explores how character education has returned to the agenda of British education policy, having been largely neglected since the 1960s in response to unsatisfactory attempts at character education going back to the nineteenth century. Between 1979 and 1997 Conservative governments attempted to reverse a perceived decline in moral standards, established State control of the schools curriculum, imposed on State schools the duty to provide for moral and other development, and established a National Forum which attempted to articulate a set of consensus values in education. Labour has extended these developments in the curriculum, introduced compulsory citizenship education, and its White Paper of September 2001 speaks of ‘education with character’. The character and virtues Labour seeks to promote through schools are pragmatic and instrumental in intention, linked to raising pupil school performance, meeting the needs of the new economy, and promoting democratic participation. Otherwise the vision is pluralistic and evades explicit directives, and there is no explanation or analysis of its theoretical basis. The question of how agreement can be reached on what counts as character education may benefit from Sunstein's analysis of how law is possible in a heterogeneous society –‘incompletely theorized agreements on particular cases’ allow for common laws without agreement on fundamental principles. Many schools in fact operate in this way, but such a consensus is not entirely stable and runs the danger of teaching character education as a series of behaviour outcomes taught in a behaviourist fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduces the articles discussing about education in Great Britain published in July 1988 issue of the "British Journal of Educational Studies." Disdain in the 19th century form of liberal education; Ambivalent view towards social and personal development in the developing shape of education; Rediscovery of utility in education.

Presents an overview of issues related to policy developments in education in Great Britain. Assessment of quality in schools; Role of the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative on the quality; Critique of educational policies.

The marketisation of education in England began in the 1980s. It was facilitated by national testing (which gave objective and comparable information to parents), and by the New Public Management (which introduced a posteriori funding and competition among providers). Now a new complementary phase of marketisation is being introduced: personalisation, whose intellectual provenance is in marketing theory. Conceptually, personalisation is imprecise; practically, at this stage, its intended effects within schools may amount to no more than a new legitimatory rhetoric which leaves pedagogy and the curriculum little changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the community education in Great Britain. Dominant modes of community education practice; Reason for the failure to change practice; New Right definitions of appropriate parental roles.

Studies the policies governing teachers' work in Great Britain. Elements of the national curriculum; Ways by which the changing power relations of the curriculum affect teachers' work in the country; Impact of the introduction of market forces on the redefinition of teachers' work; Relationship between the control exercised over teachers by parental choice and competition.

Focuses on several issues concerning the work of primary teachers in Great Britain. Implementation of a new national curriculum that changes the nature of teaching; Examination of the working hours of infant teachers in a week; Assessment of the working conditions of teachers; Increase in the tasks of primary teachers.

Examines the impact of government policy and financial stringency on the academic affairs of the university sector of higher education in Great Britain. Solution offered by the Universities Grants Committee to the problem of university and government relationships; Central theme of finance and academic autonomy in relation to government interests; Uncertainty as to how the market economy can be made to operate in the field of higher education.

Discusses the contemporary rhetoric and practices dominant in British education. Major changes introduced in the British educational system; Impact of the economic condition of the country on education; External factors that affects the condition of education.

Looks into the post-war impact of war-time reform in educational government in Great Britain, both local and institutional level. Nature of the governmental process emerging in education; Political popularity of educational expansion; Significance of contemporary initiatives in funding and controlling aspects of further education and of vocational education in schools.

Discusses the legal issues regarding judicial intervention in the comprehensive education issue in Great Britain, with reference to the conflict between the Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Borough of Tameside, England. Facts surrounding the Tameside controversy; Identification of terms that are necessary in examining the reasonableness of governmental action; Analysis of the ultra vires doctrine.