School System Governance And The Implications For Schools

Greany, Toby; Higham, Rob

Abstract

Conservative-led governments in power since 2010 have introduced a range of reforms in England, including a rapid expansion in the number of academies and Multi-Academy Trusts, the roll back of Local Authorities and the encouragement of new school-to-school networks. This chapter develops a critical analysis of these developments and considers how schools have interpreted and begun to respond to the reforms, drawing on evidence from a four-year study (Greany and Higham, 2018). The analysis is informed by the concepts of hierarchy, markets and networks, which are conceived as regimes of governance, or co-ordinating mechanisms, which operate individually and in hybrid combinations to steer the work of schools and other actors. The government claims to have reduced hierarchical oversight and increased school autonomy, while also encouraging schools to collaborate in ‘deep’ partnerships and networks. In practice, however, we show that the central state has developed new ways to exercise hierarchical authority. Markets in schooling have been extended into new areas. Networks and new groupings of schools have become more important since 2010, but they rarely represent a ‘self-governing’ alternative to hierarchy and markets. We conclude by discussing the implications of our analysis for schools, school leaders and the wider system.

Citation

Greany, T., & Higham, R. (2021). School System Governance And The Implications For Schools. In T. Greany, & P. Earley (Eds.), School Leadership and Education System Reform. (2nd). London: Bloomsbury Publishing

• Acceptance Date: Nov 30, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Aug 26, 2021
• Publication Date: Sep 23, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jan 5, 2021
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
• Edition: 2nd
• Book Title: School Leadership and Education System Reform
• Chapter Number: 3
• ISBN: 9781350173514
• Keywords: School system governance; school leadership; hierarchy, markets, networks
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5200660
• Publisher URL: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/school-leadership-and-education-system-reform-9781350173514