Academies and Free Schools in England

"Adrian Hilton provides us with fascinating insights into the thinking behind what has been the most radical intervention in the governance of schooling since the 1944 Education Act, the creation of academies and free schools. In getting close to members of the policy elite, from different parts of the political spectrum, we see how the English state effectively works in a curiously consensual way even in a context where there is considerable professional and parental opposition. Hilton underpins his analysis with sharp philosophical analyses and locates the policy developments within a clear historical frame."

Ian Menter, Emeritus Professor of Teacher Education, University of Oxford. Former President of the British Educational Research Association.

"This is a profound and fascinating study of the philosophy behind all the changes in schools since the 1988 Act which introduced parental choice and competition into education. It traces Free Schools back to the City Technology Colleges of the 1980s and forward to the University Technical Colleges of today. It is a must-read for anyone interested in education reform. We must be prepared for even more change in the Fourth Industrial Revolution."

The Rt Hon Lord Baker of Dorking CH.

"A very timely review of what continues to be an evolving policy. The original 1988 changes (including a comprehensive national curriculum) were positive moves to ensure that excellent school leadership was placed at the forefront of school improvement. This book traces the changes, many of which I was able to contribute to, and the twists and turns of policies which often set out with the best intentions and too often ended up with perverse outcomes. Academies intended to embrace their family of schools and the wider community were, in the end, dubbed by the previous Chief Inspector as a ‘atomised and fragmented landscape’. Moves to restore some coherence, through the development of multi-academy trusts, complete a picture of continuing change. This book enables us to see the importance of returning to an emphasis on standards and what happens in the classroom rather than the boardroom."

The Rt Hon Lord Blunkett.

"Adrian Hilton provides an intellectually challenging analysis of contemporary schooling which deserves a wide academic and general readership. In an educational research context dominated by empirical evidence, it is rare to find so sustained a critique using the methods of historical and philosophical enquiry. Adrian’s book is in itself an education."

Dr Liam Gearon, Senior Research Fellow, Harris Manchester College, and Associate Professor, Department of Education, University of Oxford