Mathematics education policy enactment in England’s Further Education Colleges

Dalby, Diane; Noyes, Andrew

Abstract

England’s Further Education (FE) sector is in permanent flux with policy interpretations and translations taking place at multiple levels within increasingly large and complex multi-site organizations. Devolved responsibility gives managers considerable influence in policy enactment processes which can lead to within-college tensions between vocational and mathematics teachers. This paper examines two within-college policies affecting students’ mathematics learning opportunities: 1) subject choice, and 2) examination entry levels. These policies have produced inequitable opportunities for students on different vocational study programmes. Given the strategic importance of improving mathematics education, this paper explains how multiple actors and structures interact in the enactment of policy in complex FE college settings. Such understandings are needed to inform better policy design and implementation that in turn can improve mathematics education in Further Education colleges in England.

Citation

Dalby, D., & Noyes, A. (2018). Mathematics education policy enactment in England’s Further Education Colleges. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 70(4), 564-580. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2018.1462245

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 4, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Apr 26, 2018
• Publication Date: Apr 26, 2018
• Deposit Date: Apr 10, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 27, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Vocational Education and Training
• Print ISSN: 1363-6820
• Electronic ISSN: 1747-5090
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 70
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 564-580
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2018.1462245
• Keywords: policy enactment; mathematics; further education
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/928645
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13636820.2018.1462245
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Vocational Education & Training on 26/04/2018, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13636820.2018.1462245
• Contract Date: Apr 10, 2018