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The article discusses the book "Education Policy and Realist Social Theory." The book is a clear and accessible introduction to the morphogenetic approach in the sociology of education, and organisation and management studies. The author, Robert Willmott establishes the theoretical framework that underpins historical and contemporary case-study research of child-centredness and new managerialism; argues that the interplay of structure, culture and agency can be theorised via the methodological device of analytical dualism; appraises the school effectiveness research; provides up-to-date case-study analysis of how teaching staffs in two primary schools mediate the contradiction between child-centred philosophy and practice and new managerialism; and discusses the implications of the findings for primary school practice and underscores the need for a critical realist approach to theorising about education policy and practice.