Feminism Feudalism anarchism Freedom of Information Functionalism Gender
Global Capitalism Globalisation Great Thinkers Habituation of the Nation Hellinistic Philosophy Historical Materialism
Human Freedom Human Rights Humanity Immorality Independent Thinking Industrial Revolution
Pedagogy of Revolution

Flow of Ideas: articles - Education and Inspections Bill (2006)

A Capital Friendly Culture for Further EducationA Capital Friendly Culture for Further Education
Academy ChainsAcademy Chains
After the Hillcole GroupAfter the Hillcole Group
Against What We Are WorthAgainst What We Are Worth
Ambassadors of Capital in SchoolsAmbassadors of Capital in Schools
An Educational Mansion House for BusinessAn Educational Mansion House for Business
Apprenticeship and the Use-value Aspect of Labour PowerApprenticeship and the Use-value Aspect of Labour Power
Artistic OutlookArtistic Outlook
Ayers Rocked In His Own UniverseAyers Rocked In His Own Universe
B GenerationB Generation
Bourdieu on CapitalBourdieu on Capital
Bourdieu on Cultural CapitalBourdieu on Cultural Capital
Bourdieu on Social CapitalBourdieu on Social Capital
Brown PFI MonsterBrown PFI Monster
Business Sponsorship of SchoolsBusiness Sponsorship of Schools
Business Takeover of Further EducationBusiness Takeover of Further Education
Cambridge University OccupationCambridge University Occupation
Caught in the Storm of CapitalCaught in the Storm of Capital
Co-payment in Hospitals and SchoolsCo-payment in Hospitals and Schools
Cold Hands and Quarter MoonCold Hands and Quarter Moon
Communitarianism for SchoolsCommunitarianism for Schools
Compulsory Consumption and Uni-NannyCompulsory Consumption and Uni-Nanny
Conforming Schools Conforming KidsConforming Schools Conforming Kids
Copy/South DossierCopy/South Dossier
Creating MonstersCreating Monsters
Creeping Privatisation in Higher EducationCreeping Privatisation in Higher Education
Critical MassCritical Mass
Critical Pedagogy and CapitalismCritical Pedagogy and Capitalism
Critical Space in EducationCritical Space in Education
Delivering E-LearningDelivering E-Learning
Digital Rights ManagementDigital Rights Management
DistillationDistillation
Dorothy L. SayersDorothy L. Sayers
Douglas Kennedy: best-selling novelistDouglas Kennedy: best-selling novelist
E-learning for Free at the BBCE-learning for Free at the BBC
Edison Schools in the UKEdison Schools in the UK
Education and Inspections Bill (2006)Education and Inspections Bill (2006)
Education As Culture MachineEducation As Culture Machine
Education FireworksEducation Fireworks
Education for DebtEducation for Debt
Education IncorporatedEducation Incorporated
Education Markets and Missing ProductsEducation Markets and Missing Products
Education RepetitionEducation Repetition
Education the HSBC WayEducation the HSBC Way
Education White PaperEducation White Paper
Education, Globalisation and the Learning SocietyEducation, Globalisation and the Learning Society
Employers and School LeaversEmployers and School Leavers
Evaluating Different Teaching MethodsEvaluating Different Teaching Methods
Everything Louder Than Everything ElseEverything Louder Than Everything Else
Finance and FearFinance and Fear
Five Endings of DesiresFive Endings of Desires
Foibles, Frolics and PhantasmsFoibles, Frolics and Phantasms
FreedomFreedom
FreewillFreewill
French New Wave CinemaFrench New Wave Cinema
Full Report Ruth Rikowski[a]s Book Launch for Globalisation, Information and LibrariesFull Report Ruth Rikowski's Book Launch for Globalisation, Information and Libraries
Gender and Spokesperson in Group Work IssuesGender and Spokesperson in Group Work Issues
Global TradingGlobal Trading
Globalisation and Education RevisitedGlobalisation and Education Revisited
Habituation of the NationHabituation of the Nation
Higher Education and Confused Employer SyndromeHigher Education and Confused Employer Syndrome
Hitchcock: classic auteurHitchcock: classic auteur
Human capital, the knowledge economy and businessHuman capital, the knowledge economy and business
In Retro GlideIn Retro Glide
In the Dentist[a]s ChairIn the Dentist's Chair
Kids in the Land of No DreamsKids in the Land of No Dreams
KM CritiqueKM Critique
Lazy Brit KidsLazy Brit Kids
Learning in the Earthworks of CapitalLearning in the Earthworks of Capital
Learning InvestmentsLearning Investments
Learning to the MaxLearning to the Max
Librarianship and Human RightsLibrarianship and Human Rights
Lifelong Learning and the Political Economy of ContainmentLifelong Learning and the Political Economy of Containment
LSBU StrategyLSBU Strategy
Marketisation of the Schools System in EnglandMarketisation of the Schools System in England
Marx and Education RevisitedMarx and Education Revisited
Marx and the Future of the HumanMarx and the Future of the Human
Marxism and Education RevisitedMarxism and Education Revisited
Marxist Educational Theory UnpluggedMarxist Educational Theory Unplugged
Maturity and FreedomMaturity and Freedom
McDonaldization and EducationMcDonaldization and Education
Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michele RobertsMichele Roberts
Miss Allison and Novel WritingMiss Allison and Novel Writing
Moneythought in Higher EducationMoneythought in Higher Education
Mrs Thatcher and Holes in the Kitchen FloorMrs Thatcher and Holes in the Kitchen Floor
Multiculturalism and Faith SchoolsMulticulturalism and Faith Schools
My Tony BlairMy Tony Blair
New Ideas in Ruth Rikowski[a]s Book - Part 1New Ideas in Ruth Rikowski's Book - Part 1
New Ideas in Ruth Rikowski[a]s Book - Part 2New Ideas in Ruth Rikowski's Book - Part 2
New Labour Policy for SchoolsNew Labour Policy for Schools
Nietzsche[a]s SchoolNietzsche's School
Nihilism and Educational ValuesNihilism and Educational Values
No Learner Left UnhassledNo Learner Left Unhassled
Notes on the Confessions of John DenhamNotes on the Confessions of John Denham
On Education for Its Own SakeOn Education for Its Own Sake
On Education StudiesOn Education Studies
On the Capitalisation of Schools in EnglandOn the Capitalisation of Schools in England
On Transhumanism and EducationOn Transhumanism and Education
Open AccessOpen Access
Outsourcing Public ServicesOutsourcing Public Services
Peter Wilby on School PrivatisationPeter Wilby on School Privatisation
Planet of the CapitorgPlanet of the Capitorg
PlatoPlato
Playgound Risks and Handcuffed KidsPlaygound Risks and Handcuffed Kids
Poems by Gregory RikowskiPoems by Gregory Rikowski
Poems by Victor RikowskiPoems by Victor Rikowski
Post-Fordism and SchoolsPost-Fordism and Schools
Post-Fordism in Primary SchoolsPost-Fordism in Primary Schools
Postmodern Dereliction in the Face of Neoliberal Education PolicyPostmodern Dereliction in the Face of Neoliberal Education Policy
PowerPointlessness in Higher EducationPowerPointlessness in Higher Education
Private Schools as CharitiesPrivate Schools as Charities
Privatisation of Schools in EnglandPrivatisation of Schools in England
Privatisation of Student DebtPrivatisation of Student Debt
Races in the Imperial WarRaces in the Imperial War
Readings for Teaching CourseReadings for Teaching Course
Recruitment and Labour PowerRecruitment and Labour Power
Revealed Recruitment Criteria through the Use-value Aspect of Labour-powerRevealed Recruitment Criteria through the Use-value Aspect of Labour-power
Robotic EthicsRobotic Ethics
Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)
Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)
School Fees and the 1944 Education ActSchool Fees and the 1944 Education Act
Schools: Building for BusinessSchools: Building for Business
Science Fiction Films and HorrorScience Fiction Films and Horror
Second Time as FarceSecond Time as Farce
Snowballs and Risk in SchoolsSnowballs and Risk in Schools
Social Contract Theory and Political ObligationsSocial Contract Theory and Political Obligations
Socialism is not DeadSocialism is not Dead
Speed of Life - Part OneSpeed of Life - Part One
Speed of Life - Part TwoSpeed of Life - Part Two
Stroppy Individuals and Oppositional Cultures in SchoolsStroppy Individuals and Oppositional Cultures in Schools
Sustainability Policy at London South Bank UniversitySustainability Policy at London South Bank University
Ten Points on Marx, Class and EducationTen Points on Marx, Class and Education
The Business of Becoming a Business for AcademiesThe Business of Becoming a Business for Academies
The Capitalisation of Schools - Federations and AcademiesThe Capitalisation of Schools - Federations and Academies
The CBI and the Business Takeover of SchoolsThe CBI and the Business Takeover of Schools
The Commodification of EducationThe Commodification of Education
The Education White Paper and the Marketisation of SchoolsThe Education White Paper and the Marketisation of Schools
The Evolution of Federations of SchoolsThe Evolution of Federations of Schools
The Last Parents EveningThe Last Parents Evening
The New Japanisation of SchoolsThe New Japanisation of Schools
The Profit Virus - The Business Takeover of SchoolsThe Profit Virus - The Business Takeover of Schools
The Standards Language-game for Schools in EnglandThe Standards Language-game for Schools in England
The Which Blair ProjectThe Which Blair Project
Three Types of Apprenticeship - Three Forms of MasteryThree Types of Apprenticeship - Three Forms of Mastery
Tony and Caroline BennTony and Caroline Benn
Tony Benn: Letters to GrandchildrenTony Benn: Letters to Grandchildren
TransportTransport
Turney[a]s and PPUTurney's and PPU
Uninspiring TowersUninspiring Towers
Universe of Capital and My SpaceUniverse of Capital and My Space
Universities in a Neoliberal WorldUniversities in a Neoliberal World
Utopia and EducationUtopia and Education
What Can Nietzsche Teach YaWhat Can Nietzsche Teach Ya
When Bullies Roam the SchoolWhen Bullies Roam the School
When the Bowers BreakWhen the Bowers Break
Why Employers Can[a]t Ever Get What They WantWhy Employers Can't Ever Get What They Want
Will Hutton and His E-FossWill Hutton and His E-Foss
Wolf on Marx Without SparksWolf on Marx Without Sparks
Women in World WarsWomen in World Wars






Chandos Book Publishing
Education and Inspections Bill: A Case of Educational Traducianism


Glenn Rikowski, London, 28th February 2006


Preface: Educational Traducianism

"Traducianism: The theory that the soul of a child is transmitted to it (along with original sin) by its parents" (Blackburn, 2005, p.368).

Readers who have explored the Volumizer at some length will know that my main interest in the Schools White Paper that came out last October (Her Majesty's Government, 2005) was its consequences for the business takeover of schools. What I meant by the 'business takeover of schools' was set out in my three-part paper In the Dentist's Chair of 31st December (Rikowski, 2005b), and I shall not go into that here in detail once more.

This phenomenon is at a very early and primitive stage of development. Only a few schools and nine LEAs, along with scattered LEA educational services, are run on for-profit lines.


Introduction

My focus in the analysis of the Bill will be on the business takeover of schools. On this score the key points are what it says about the development of education markets (as these go hand-in-hand with the development of educational services as commodities and the profit form) and the consolidation, widening and deepening of federations of schools.

This paper is divided into three sections. The first is on New Labour's lack of restraint regarding plans to let businesses run schools, but the New Labour cult faces practical and political constraints in terms of actually delivering such a reality. The second section is devoted to the marketisation of the schools sector in England, and the ways in which the Bill (House of Commons, 2006) moves back a few steps as compared with the White Paper (Her Majesty's Government, 2005). The third section focuses on federations of schools - indicating a surprising twist in the development of these as projected in the Education and Inspections Bill.


Bad Intentions Thwarted, Frustrations Building Up

It appears from the available evidence that Prime Minister Tony Blair, some of his advisors (past and present) in Downing Street and some officials at the Department for Education and Skills (previously the Department of Education and Employment) have no qualms regarding the principle of letting businesses run schools for profit. Regarding his public services 'reforms' in general, Tony Blair said at the last Labour Party Conference that:

"Every time I've ever introduced a reform in government, I wish in retrospect I had gone further" (in Pollard, 2006).

According to Stephen Pollard in the Daily Mail, in relation to the White Paper and the education Bill: 'This time around, he promised, things would be different'. Time-and-time over the last the last four months Blair has tried to adopt convincing poses of 'standing firm' regarding what he considers to be the core components of his education reforms as expressed in the White Paper and the Bill.

Four years ago, Chris Woodhead, former head of the schools' inspection organisation, Ofsted, noted that Tony Blair had 'no hang-ups' about involving the private sector in running state schools (Mansell, 2002). Woodhead questioned:

"Does Mr Blair really want to involve the private sector in education? In all probability he does. He does not suffer from the ideological hang-ups that afflict so many of his backbenchers and indeed ministers. Fine, but nothing will happen without his personal involvement" (Ibid.). Woodhead went on to argue that:

"A private, for-profit industry must be developed to provide effective competition to schools" (Ibid.).

Woodhead was angling to get state schools (run on contract for profit) into his chain of private schools that he was attempting to set up at the time.

Mike Baker (2005) has argued that the White Paper (Her Majesty's Government, 2005) appeared to lack coherence was that it was a compromise. For:

"Some in Downing Street wanted the trust schools idea to go much further; they hoped the for-profit sector would be allowed to run state-funded trust schools. ... [However] ... In the end, though, it was decided that the idea was too radical to wash with Labour MPs" (Baker, 2005, p.3).

Thus: some of Blair's policy advisors presumably believed that profits could be made by companies out of running Trusts on a contract, and maybe Blair even thought this himself - though Baker gives no evidence for this. Without the for-profit sector running Trusts, argues Baker, the White Paper painted a picture of Trusts that were little different from existing foundation schools.

Matthew Taylor (2006), however, does not believe that the Trusts have been emasculated to the extent that they no longer pose a route along which the for-profit sector will not eventually emerge as running state schools. Taylor sees trusts as a possible staging post in the business takeover of schools:

"The government points out that trusts have to be not-for-profit organisations and insists there are safeguards in place, but many rebels believe the mass handover of publicly owned democratically accountable schools to unelected private bodies is at least as big an issue as admissions and selection. And some mutter darkly that the move represents the first irreversible step towards the privatisation of the state schools system" (Taylor, 2006, p.1).

Taylor argues that although Blair has compromised a tad on admissions and selection and the role of the local education authority, he nevertheless has failed to move on the rebels' concerns that are 'deeper or different'. Trusts remain firmly on the agenda, even if they are not mentioned by name in the Education and Inspections Bill (House of Commons, 2006). For Taylor, Blair has drawn a 'line in the sand' on Trusts.

For me, what all this indicates is that Prime Minister Tony Blair and some of his policy advisors wanted a greater role for the for-profit sector in the White Paper and the Bill but did not think they could get away with it. Given the subsequent furore over selection and admissions, this was a smart call.


A Small Setback for the Marketisation of Schools

As I argued previously (Rikowski, 2005b), the White Paper (Her Majesty's Government, 2005) held consequences for the deepening of market relations in the schools system in England. The Education and Inspections Bill (House of Commons, 2006) constitutes a small setback for the marketisation process on the back of a substantial rebellion threatened by Labour MPs.

This is so on two scores. The Code of Admissions will be strengthened, and local admissions forums 'can object to the schools adjudicator if needs are not met' (White and Smithers, 2006). Secondly, local authorities will be able to set up community schools - though they can only do this with the approval of the Secretary of State. Thus, the role of local authorities in the Bill is still mainly commissioning schools, not being providers of them.

It is the first measure that stems the marketisation of schools most significantly. But the Bill overall makes only small concessions to the Labour rebels on this issue. As I explained in my In the Dentist's Chair (Rikowski, 2005b), the development of schools as commodity-producing and value-producing sites, and ultimately profit-producing units can only proceed with the deepening of the development of markets in educational services in the schools sector. The Bill erodes the development of these markets only slightly.


Federations and Trusts

The significance of federations of schools for the business takeover of schools is that they allow for the potential for greater profits and economies of scale for businesses running schools (see Rikowski, 2005a and 2005b). The Education and Inspections Bill has an unusual twist to it regarding federations.

Those writing the Alternative White Paper (Whitehead and Others, 2005) argued that all Trusts should be established as federations of schools. This is not too surprising as Estelle Morris, who brought in federations via Education Act 2002, was one of the leading signatories to the Alternative White Paper. The Education and Skills Committee (2006), reporting to the House of Commons on 27th January, reached the same conclusion (p.22, para 57). This was justified on the basis of good practice being spread through collaboration, but there was also reference to 'economies of scale and efficiencies in administration, finance and purchasing' (Ibid.). The Committee made a formal recommendation that the federations should be the model for Trust schools (p.23).

However, in the Government's response (Her Majesty's Government, 2006) to the Education and Skills Committee report, there was encouragement for good schools to head federations and shared Trusts (to extend their influence) (p.32), but the Committee's recommendation that all Trusts become federations was firmly rejected (Her Majesty's Government, 2006, p.14). Federations got a brief mention in the official press release for the Education and Inspections Bill (DfES, 2006c) in the context of strong schools helping weaker ones (p.3). Yet in the Department for Education and Skills Guide to the Bill (DfES, 2006a) federations did not figure at all.

In the actual Bill (House of Commons, 2006), federations figured only twice. It re-emphasised the power of local education authorities to force a governing body of a failing school to join a federation under Education Act 2002 (p.37 para50(1)(d) ). Furthermore, schools 'causing concern' could also be instructed to join a federation (p.182). Thus, the Education and Inspections Bill consolidated and extended the role of federations within the schools system in England.

The Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) (DfES, 2006b) regarding the Bill clarifies the situation further on federations. First, the RIA indicates that federations will be set up 'to support a school causing concern' (p.143). Indeed, this is the second stage, 'Enforced Federation', of a five-stage process for dealing with failing schools (ending in closure). The Department for Education and Skills envisages 15 federations per year being established at an annual cost of £4.5million (p.149).


Conclusion: A Two-track System with Overlap

What the Education and Inspections Bill heralds is a 'two-track' system of Trusts and federations that can overlap. First, there will be straightforward Trusts. The Trusts will be non-profit making, and the schools comprising the Trusts will plow surpluses back into their operations. Any money made by the Trusts will be passed down to the schools. However, under Education Act 2002, the schools within a Trust can still set up companies which can make profits.

Secondly, there will be federations. These can be headed by companies, along with charitable and religious foundations. However, federations have no constraints regarding profit-making, as established by Education Act 2002. They can be headed by for-profit companies. They can also set up companies under Education Act 2002.

Finally, some Trusts may become federations. It would seem reasonable to suggest that once they did this then their profit-making capabilities would cease, though under Education Act 2002 they could still establish companies that could make profits. Whether New Labour wants this hybrid organisation to emerge on any substantial scale is very much open to question.

On the issues of marketisation and federations, the Education and Inspections Bill largely mirrors the sins of the White Paper when viewed in the context of the business takeover of schools. This is a clear case of educational traducianism.


© Glenn Rikowski, London.


References

Baker, M. (2005) Why school reforms were re-sold, BBC News, 18th November, at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4450638.stm

Blackburn, S. (2005) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Second Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

DfES (2006a) A Short Guide to the Education and Inspections Bill 2006, Department for Education and Skills, 28th February, London: Department for Education & Skills: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/educationandinspectionsbill/docs/Guide%20to%20the%20Education%20and%20Inspections%20Bill.pdf

DfES (2006b) Regulatory Impact Assessment: Education and Inspections Bill 2006, Department for Education and Skills, 28th February, London: Department for Education and Skills. Online at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/educationandinspectionsbill/docs/Regulatory%20Impact%20Assessment.pdf

DfES (2006c) Education and Inspections Bill: Higher Standards, Better Schools for All, Press Notice, 2006/0018, 28th February, Department for Education and Skills. Online at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2006_0018

Education and Skills Committee (2006) The Schools White Paper: Higher Standards, Better Schools for All, First Report of Session 2005-06, Volume 1, 28th January, HC633-1, London: The Stationery Office.

Her Majesty’s Government (2005) Higher Standards, Better Schools for All – More choice for parents and pupils, Cm 6677, Norwich: The Stationery Office. Online at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk

Her Majesty’s Government (2006) The Government’s Response to the House of Commons Education and Skills Committee Report – The Schools White Paper: Higher Standards, Better Schools for All, Cm 6747, February, Norwich: The Stationery Office. Available online at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/educationandinspectionsbill/docs/Response%20to%20Education%20Select%20Committee%20Cm%206747.pdf

House of Commons (2006) Education and Inspections Bill, Bill 134, 54/1, 28th February, London: The Stationery Office Limited. Available online: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmbills/134/2006134.pdf

Mansell, W. (2002) Blair 'not hung up about privatisation', Times Educational Supplement, 1st March, p.3.

Pollard, S. (2006) 28 Feb: The day Blair lost power, Daily Mail, 1st March, p.12.
Silence on the Wolves: What is Absent in New Labour's Five Year Strategy for Education, Occasional Paper, Education Research Centre, University of Brighton, May.

Rikowski, G. (2005b) In the Dentist's Chair: A Response to Richard Hatcher's Critique of Habituation of the Nation, 31st December, in three parts. Available from The Flow of Ideas web site: http://www.flowideas.co.uk/?page=articles&sub=In%20the%20Dentist[a]s%20Chair

Taylor, M. (2006) Schools up for sale, The Guardian, 20th February. Online at: http://education.guardian.co.uk/policy/story/0,,1713539,00.html

White, M. & Smithers, R. (2006) Tories may hold key to vote as Blair stands firm against rebels, The Guardian, 1st March, p.7.

Whitehead, A. & Others (2005) Reshaping the Education White Paper, 14th December, at: http://www.alan-whitehead.org.uk/articles/articles_2005/EducationPaper.htm




Print Friendly - Print Friendly with links
Anti-Imperialist
 © Copyright, Flow of Ideas, Ruth Rikowski and Glenn Rikowski
current date time:
Capital and Class
Website Design and Coding by Digo PC
Site optimisation by Bytec Solutions
Free-thought Global Family Government
Higher Education Human Progress Idealism
Immorality Income Generation Indulgence
Injustice Intellectual Development Knowledge Management

Valid CSS!