EDUCATION POLICY

Bates et al. (2011: 54) define education policy as: "The raft of laws and initiatives that determine the
shape and functioning of educational systems at both national and local level'. As education is so
important in any society, it will form a major part of any government's plans. If we accept the premise
above that educational have an ideological basis then education policy is the plan or blueprint by which
these aims are put into practice. It is likely that due to changes in social and economic circumstances
these policies will be amended and adapted. For instance, introducing school or university reform during
times of economic restraint can significantly affect what any government is able to do. It is also likely
that policy will be challenged by those with opposing ideologies. A change of government is likely to lead
to an ideological shift, thus aspects of the education system are in a continual state of being 'reformed.
Successive governments, for instance, have altered the content and assessment of the school curriculum
and also the structure of secondary schooling. Of course, politicians also have to respond to external
events and so changes introduced may be reactive rather than proactive, for example, corporal
punishment was finally abolished in schools due to a European ruling on human rights rather than the
beliefs of the sitting Conservative English government.