Dave Hill is Professor of Education at Middlesex University, UK, where he is Course Leader MA Education: Leadership, Management and Change. He is Chief Editor of the Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, at www.jceps.com, and Director of The Institute for Education Policy Studies, www.ieps.org.uk. He is also Visiting Professor of Education at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, and Visiting Professor of Critical Education Policy and Equality Studies, University of Limerick, Ireland. Mike Cole is Emeritus Research Professor in Education and Equality at Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, UK, where he is also Director of the Centre for Education for Social Justice.

• Part 1 The wider context: conceptual issues for the secondary schools; Conservative education policy "reforms"; equality and secondary education - what are the facts?; "New Labour" and the Conservative reconstruction of initial teacher education. Part 2 Foundation subjects key stages 3 and 4: the core subjects - maths, English, science; the non-core subjects - design and technology, history, geography, music, art, physical education, modern foreign languages. Part 3 Sex education and cross-curricular issues key stages 3 and 4: religious studies, sex education, GNVQs; promoting equal opportunities - a whole school policy.