Schools in trouble again: a critique of the National Challenge (2008)

Riddell, R (2009) 'Schools in trouble again: a critique of the National Challenge (2008).' Improving Schools, 12 (1). pp. 71-80. ISSN 1365-4802

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1365480208101723

Abstract

The National Challenge, whereby all secondary schools had to attain 5 A*—Cs by 2011, was launched in June 2008. In this article, Richard Riddell outlines the main provisions of the National Challenge, which he characterizes as shallow, mechanistic and playing an old `performativity' tune. Although the new benchmark will be achieved by many more schools, this will often be at the expense of the more fundamental, longer term changes necessary for social justice, particularly in urban or socially disadvantaged communities. And schools not likely to achieve the benchmark will be forced to take on a new organizational form which, unless the schools' intakes are changed, will still have to address the same issues.

Item Type: Article
Keywords: academies, attainment, National Challenge, performativity, urban schooling
Divisions: School of Education
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480208101723
Date Deposited: 01 Feb 2013 13:22
Last Modified: 15 Aug 2021 09:32
URI / Page ID: https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/547
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