Teachers’ Culture in an English Primary School: continuity and change

Abstract

This paper uses ethnographic data to investigate the impact of recent government legislation on primary school teachers. The reactions of one inner city primary school are reported in detail. It is argued that primary schools have distinctive cultures and these shape the response to the legislation. The relationship is dynamic as the legislation also influences the culture. The headteacher's role is undergoing particularly marked changes. Heads are finding it necessary to give considerable reassurance to teachers, stressing continuity rather than repudiation of past practices. Innovation can be seen as a technological, political or cultural process and the implications of these perspectives for teachers’ work are explored.