This article asks what uniform practices in schools can tell us about how power functions through a comprehensive analysis of the uniform policies of all Scottish state secondary schools (n = 357). Against the backdrop of large-scale shifts from disciplinary societies to ones dominated by 'neoliberal governmentality' identified by Foucault and…

This paper addresses educational inequality of access to higher education for Scottish rural communities. Inequality results from the sole use of a national socio-economic index in order to meet a key milestone for higher education goal. I show (1) how the use of this index can have adverse effects on these communities and (2) how contextual…

This paper provides an account of programmes in schools developed by the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MISP) as an example of the outsourcing of Health and Physical Education. The purpose of the paper is to show that outsourcing, is complex and does not match some of the expectations associated with this neoliberal practice. Responding to the…

A good education is the necessary element at the foundation of efforts to lift people out of poverty, reduce inequalities, tackle prejudices, skill the next generation to face a job market being transformed by technology, and train the scientists and leaders who will answer the enormous challenges society faces from climate change to pandemics and…

This paper focuses on school choice and diversity in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) in historical context. Drawing on primary and secondary documentary sources it assesses continuity, change and divergence, before addressing existing diversity and school choice, and academic outcomes. The 1944 Education Act and associated…

In some countries it is common for policy makers to advocate research use by practitioners as a means to bring about school development. Yet, despite their increasing sophistication, the enactment of protocols for using research is problematic and, even in optimal environments, practitioners have difficulty mobilising research findings to improve…

The relationship between students' entry to higher education and the history or status of the secondary school which they attended is examined using school leavers' surveys in Scotland stretching from the early 1950s to the late 1990s. The surveys are unique in the length of this period, their details of the higher-education institutions and…

At a time when interventions in widening access to, and participation in, higher education aim to maximise impact by engaging with schools located in the most deprived communities, school pupils in rural communities, and who experience deprivation, are, in practice, less likely to benefit. Using statistics available from the Scottish government,…

This paper examines the political and relational dimensions of leading and managing schools in the early stages of pandemic-induced school closure in the four nations of the United Kingdom. It draws on in-depth interviews with 12 headteachers from primary, secondary and special schools. Headteachers used adaptive leadership strategies, including…

Scotland's HM Inspectors (HMI) of Education have published a new report examining a range of approaches taken to support health and wellbeing in establishments nominated by local authorities. As part of Scottish Government's Education Recovery: Key Actions and Next Steps, HM Inspectors of Education committed to undertaking national thematic…

Aim: Educational Psychology Services (EPS) have played a key role, alongside our partners, in the training and implementation support of restorative approaches (RA). This article aims to investigate the impact EPS has had on the implementation of RA activities across North Ayrshire Council (NAC) schools. Rationale: The rationale for this study was…

Purpose: Inspection and evaluation in education gained a different dimension with the implementation of concepts such as accountability, transparency and effectiveness to educational organizations. School self-evaluation is put into practice based on evidence in cooperation with stakeholders in order to develop and improve schools accordingly. The…

The starting point of this paper is the Scottish School Grounds Survey of 2005, which provided nationwide insight into the extent to which school grounds were being used as learning environments for children in nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in Scotland. Reflecting specifically on provision for play and the way in which play…

Connecting schools with cutting edge research and researchers can inspire and motivate young people. There is evidence that bringing contemporary research into the classroom is of key importance, as researchers can act as positive role models for young people and expose students to exciting future study and career options, motivating students to…

While mainstream schools have seen an increasing focus on performance and attainment in recent years, this focus has often been resisted by special and alternative educational provision in the United Kingdom. However, concern is now growing about the low levels of achievement for children and young people educated outside mainstream schools. This…