Policy critics and policy survivors: who are they and how do they contribute to a department policy role typology?

Figures & data

Table 1. Policy actor typology (Ball et al., 2012, p. 49).

Policy actors	Policy work
Narrators	Interpretation, selection and enforcement of meanings
Entrepreneurs	Advocacy, creativity and integration
Outsiders	Entrepreneurship, partnership and monitoring
Transactors	Accounting, reporting, monitoring/supporting and facilitating
Enthusiasts	Investment, creativity, satisfaction and career
Translators	Production of texts, artefacts and events
Critics	Union representatives: monitoring of management, maintaining counter-talk
Receivers	Coping, defending and dependency

Table 2. Fieldwork events.

Event	Purpose/focus
Interview 1, Winter year 1	Professional background and espoused beliefs. Early ideas about GCSE 2010, including preparations and challenges.
Observation 1, Spring year 1	Chosen by teacher to exhibit changes in pedagogy catalysed by new curriculum.
Interview 2, Summer year 1	Probe observation and routes to change. Emerging ideas, priorities and understandings re content and pedagogy for new curriculum.
Observation 2, Winter year 2	Chosen by teacher to focus on problem solving.
Interview 3, Spring year 2	Probe observation, especially interpretation of ‘problem solving’ and any related challenges. Response to ‘new’ exemplar examination questions, chosen to illuminate aspects of teacher subject and pedagogical knowledge.
Observation 3, Summer year 2	Chosen by teacher to show ‘new’ pedagogy embedded for second cohort, including ‘functional’ mathematics.
Interview 4, Summer year 2	Probe observation and support for/challenges in adopting pedagogy shown. Reflection on first full cycle in terms of pedagogy, student learning and use of metacognition. Response to first GCSE examinations.
Observation 4, Autumn year 3	Chosen by teacher to show established pedagogy developed in response to ‘new’ curriculum.
Interview 5, Winter year 3 (2012–2013)	Probe observation. Current knowledge and beliefs in relation to new GCSE. Response to first examination results. What changes to practice have been made, at an individual and department level? What have still to be made? (What has helped/hindered those?)

Ball, S. J., Maguire, M., & Braun, A. (2012). How schools do policy: Policy enactments in secondary schools. Abingdon: Routledge.

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