Is ‘School Effectiveness’ Anti-Democratic?

Abstract

This paper explores the connections between School Effectiveness as a research paradigm and developments in policy and practice. With a particular focus on the English school system, ‘effectiveness’ is examined as a discourse which underpins the accountability regime, and in terms of its influence on the related field of School Improvement. Anti-democratic tendencies in areas such as school leadership, teacher professionalism, curriculum and pedagogy are related to a failure, at the heart of the ‘effectiveness’ concept, to give critical consideration to social and educational aims.

Keywords:

• school effectiveness
• education policy
• accountability
• school improvement
• democracy
• leadership