Table of Contents

Introduction by Michael Barber and John White
1. School effectiveness and school improvement by Louise Stoll and Peter Mortimore
2. The rise of the school effectiveness movement by Lynn Davies
3. Philosophical perspectives on school effectiveness and school improvement by John White
4. Accountability, controversy and school effectiveness and school improvement by Christopher Winch
5. Key characteristics of effective schools: a review of school effectiveness research by Pam Sammons, Josh Hillman and Peter Mortimore
6. Peddling feel-good fictions by David Hamilton
7. Key characteristics of effective schools: a response to ‘Peddling feel-good fictions’ by Peter Mortimore, Pam Sammons and Josh Hillman
8. Beyond school effectiveness and school improvement: lighting the slow fuse of possibility by Michael Fielding
9. The missing hermeneutical dimension in mathematical modelling of school effectiveness by David Scott
10. Endpiece: a welcome and a riposte to critics by Peter Mortimore and Pam Sammons

About the Author

At the time of publication, John White was Professor of Philosophy of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London. At the time of publication, Michael Barber was Head of the Standards and Effectiveness Unit at the Department for Education and Employment, and Professor of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London. At the time of publication, Lynn Davies was Professor of International Education at the School of Education, University of Birmingham. At the time of publication, Michael Fielding was Lecturer in Education at the University of Cambridge Institute of Education. At the time of publication, David Hamilton was Professor of Education at the University of Liverpool. At the time of publication, Josh Hillman was Research Fellow/Officer at the Institute for Public Policy Research, London. At the time of publication, Peter Mortimore was Director of the Institute of Education, University of London. At the time of publication, Pam Sammons was Associate Director of the International School Effectiveness and Improvement Centre, Institute of Education, University of London. At the time of publication, David Scott was Lecturer in Education at the Institute of Education, University of London. At the time of publication, Louise Stoll was Lecturer in Education at the Institute of Education, University of London. At the time of publication, Christopher Winch was Professor of Philosophy of Education at Nene College, Northampton.