This research project is a study of organisational decision-making in higher education. It attempted to address three main topics. The first, and the major concern, was a multiple case study of how two English polytechnics dealt during 1982 and 1983 with the first national planning exercise of the National Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education. This exercise was intended to determine the overall numbers of students in the local authority sector in 1984-85 and their distribution between institutions, programme areas, levels of study and modes of attendance. The study assessed the applicability of models in the description and explanation of the colleges' decision making processes. It also examined the ways in which the eventual policy outturn was implemented. It was therefore a study of organisational decision-making and policy implementation in the context of a new, national policy initiative which placed the colleges under stress. The second topic was an analysis of the context of the organisational study and provided a description and interpretation of the 1984-85 planning exercise. This assumed that the policy development could only be studied from subjective ideological perspectives on the distribution of power in society and the role of education within those perspectives. The third topic, which it was only possible to touch upon, was to explore the link between the analysis of organisational decision-making and theories of societal power distribution. The main conclusion was that there was no single model of organisational decision-making which provided a satisfactory explanation of the decision-making processes. Rather, a number of models are appropriate to describe different stages of a complex process. The research identified the political model of organisational decision-making and the pluralist model of power distribution as having particular relevance for these case studies.

In the early 1990s, the Conservative Government made grant maintained schools the flagship of their education policy, while the Labour Party pledged to abolish them if elected to power. However, during the run-up to the 1997 general election, it was evident that New Labour's attitude towards GM schools was changing. This was confirmed in the 1997 Labour Government's first White Paper on education which proposed that, within a new framework for all maintained schools in England and Wales, opted out schools would have the option of becoming 'foundation' schools, a category that was closely aligned to GM status. The research reported here is concerned with the views and perceptions of GM headteachers and chairs of governors about the future of their schools during the period following the election of a Labour Government. Thus, it documents the final chapter in the GM story. The data were generated through twelve interviews with the headteacher and chair of governor of six GM schools and a questionnaire survey using the same categories of informants in 126 schools. The findings suggest that, while there were some concerns about the effects of the changes on respondents' individual schools, these managers and governors generally adopted a pragmatic attitude to New Labour's education policy. In the final chapter, attempts are made to move beyond the data and develop a theory to describe the approach adopted at both government and school level. In doing this, it is suggested that the New Labour's strategy in respect of GM schools represents an example of its 'Third Way' politics, an approach that is not based on a particular ideology but rather adopts a pluralist, pragmatic outlook in its attempt to modernise the notion of government at the end of the 20th century.

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This thesis examines sex education in the UK. The project presents an account of current policies and materials in practice, in addition to the primary focus of providing an up-to-date participant account of sex education with specific focus on sexual orientation in English classrooms. This study utilised a multi-method approach comprised of several interlinking parts; a literature analysis of policy and sex education materials, a questionnaire-based survey with sixth form students and interviews/focus groups with LGBT identified young people. These provide a snapshot of current issues surrounding sex education and sexual orientation through experiences in the classroom. It is shown that a public health discourse, at best, guides the topics that are commonly discussed in sex education, both in policy and practice. At worst, it omits various important and contentious issues such as sexual orientation, which are necessary in ensuring a holistic programme. Guidance at the national level is superficial and open to interpretation - this then filters down to the local level which leads to inconsistencies across policies, though it was found that some policies at the local level were both comprehensive and inclusive. While there were classroom materials found to be inclusive of social sex education, these were reportedly not frequently incorporated into the classroom. In the empirical data, young people commonly acknowledged that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy dominated classroom discussions to the detriment and exclusion of other topics identified as important by the participants. This lack of holism contributed to the prevailing notion that sex education was heteronormative, and was perceived to be the result of social inequalities and past political views.

This study is about the managemenot f `independent'i nspections of schoolsb y teams in England during the period September 1993-7. The central research problem is seen as the absence of a managerial focus by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) on the work of teams -a management gap that both triggers and lies at the core of the study. The investigation is shaped by four initial research questions, namely: " How can contractors for OFSTED arrange their teams to encourage inspectors to manage and operate in inspections so as to ensure consistency of practice? " What factors influence inspection team practices? " What are the factors affecting the actions of contractors in supporting the practices of inspection teams? " How do teams develop? The study describes and explores the extent to which the roles and responsibilities of different players within the new inspection system are identified, organised to manage it most effectively, and operate interdependently. The literature is reviewed against a discussion of the legislative background in the Education (Schools) Act 1992 which led to the creation of OFSTED. This considers the nature of teams, of managing teams, of professionals and of professional teams offering contracted services within the public sector. This literature is reviewedi n turn in the light of that on the developingn otion of new public managementw, ith its emphasis on contracting as a prominent means of service delivery. Drawing on the literature concerning the work of teams, the management of public services and OFSTED, a research design was developed using multiple methods matching the characteristics of the sites for the research. Two major phases of the research took place - locally and nationally based. The local phase included 155 registered inspectors in responding to a survey that highlighted the practice and performances of the independent teams involved. A series of interviews also took place with registered inspectors, contractors and ex-HMI to reflect on thesep rocessest,h e outcomesa nd the influences on them. The national phase comprised two elements: surveys involving 72 contractors and 595 inspectors and desk-based analysis of OFSTED's Education Information System (EIS), access to which was gained during the research process. Through EIS, data related to 2000 inspections was analysed and samples of reports and the evidence which supports them were examined; conclusions were drawn about the information, some of which was previously unused. The implementation of this design was supported by the researcher's range of insider roles within the Schools Inspection community. The insider/researcherr ole literature is thus also reviewed and critiqued. Findings confirmed the extent to which there was neglect or confusion concerning the managerial needs of inspection teams. Inconsistencies evident from the assumptions held about how inspection teams are managed were identified. Disjunction between local and national findings were exposedw here evident. The findings also emphasesth e limitations of the literature, particularly the extent of theory which support understanding of `short-life' teams. As the system for independent inspections of schools was at an early stage in relation to the history of the inspectorate as a whole, and this study based primarily on the first cycle of inspections, these conclusions are necessarily tentative. Proposals for future research as well as suggestions for improving the management of inspections are made. Where appropriate the findings are related to contracted out teams operating in other public services

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