Great Mistakes in Education Policy

Ruth Lupton is Professor of Education at The University of Manchester. She researches, writes and teaches about poverty and inequality, particularly in relation to education and neighbourhoods.Debra Hayes is Professor of Education and Equity and Head of School at Sydney School of Education and Social Work, The University of Sydney. Her research investigates inequitable effects of schooling in high poverty and difference contexts.

• Introduction Setting the scene Tests, tests, tests Schooling that works for some but not for others Teachers making less of a difference Mistake #1: turning to the market Mistake #2: letting test scores drive policy Mistake #3: over-prescribing teachers’ work Mistake #4: misunderstanding educational inequalities Mistake #5: leaving education out of education policy makingSynthetic phonics: a ‘perfect storm’ of policy mistakes There are alternatives

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