Richard Smith 
Education Policy 
Philosophical Critique

Education Policy sees 12 philosophers of education
critique current and recent UK educational policies relating to
higher education and faith-based education, assessment, the
teaching of reading, vocational and civic education, teacher
education, the influence of Europe and the idea of the ‘Big
Society’.

* Twelve philosophers of education subject elements of current
and recent UK educational policy to critique

* Forthright and critical, the contributors are unafraid to
challenge current orthodoxies

* Offers thought-provoking insights into modern education
policy

* Wide-ranging topics cover higher education and faith-based
education, assessment, the teaching of reading, vocational and
civic education, teacher education, the influence of Europe and the
idea of the ‘Big Society’

Table of Content

Notes on Contributors vii

Introduction 1

Richard Smith

1 The Role of Policy in Philosophy of Education: An Argument and
an Illustration 5

John White

2 Alluring Ideas: Cherry Picking Policy from Around the World
18

Carrie Winstanley

3 ‘The Only Answer is Innovation . . .’: Europe,
Policy and the Big Society 34

Naomi Hodgson

4 A New Dawn for Faith-Based Education? Opportunities for
Religious Organisations in the UK’s New School System
47

Michael Hand

5 A Monstrous Regimen of Synthetic Phonics: Fantasies of
Research-Based Teaching ‘Methods’ versus Real Teaching
60

Andrew Davis

6 The Future of Teacher Education 74

Alis Oancea and Janet Orchard

7 Two Concepts of Assessment 89

Gerard Lum

8 Vocational and Civic Education: Whither British Policy?
103

Christopher Winch

9 Education under the Heel of Caesar: Reading UK Higher
Education

Reform through Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra 118

Sophie Ward

10 Improving the Student Experience 129

Elizabeth Staddon and Paul Standish

11 University Futures 147

Richard Smith

12 What Lessons Can We Learn? 160

W. A. Hart

Index 170

About the author

Richard Smith is Professor of Education at the University
of Durham, UK. His most recent publications include the
Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Education (with Nigel
Blake, Paul Smeyers and Paul Standish, joint eds, Blackwell, 2003),
The Therapy of Education (with Paul Smeyers and Paul
Standish, 2006) and Evidence-based Educational Policy: What
Evidence? What Basis? Whose Policy? (with David Bridges and
Paul Smeyers, joint eds, Blackwell, 2009). His principal research
interests are in the philosophy of education and the philosophy of
social science.