Towards a new governance of schools in the remaking of civil society

The purpose of the research has been to study the implications for the governance of schools of the policy agenda to integrate services and agencies involved in the education and care of children, and to encourage the participation of parents, families and communities in support of schools

The research would take into account, where appropriate, the extent of ownership innovation in the governance of schools. The study was located in areas of disadvantage because this lay at the centre of national concern and the focus of the Government’s standards agenda. The first phase of the research examined the changing national context of school governance, in particular exploring the extent of pressure on schools (including indicators of disadvantage and exclusion, and the pattern of market choice); the system of schools and patterns of innovation; and educational performance.