Combating Educational Disadvantage: Meeting The Needs Of Vulnerable Children

Combating Educational Disadvantage The ‘New Labour’ Government in Britain puts ‘education, education, education’ at the heart of its agenda, but is it doing enough to combat educational disadvantage? This book sets the discussion of educational disadvantage within the sociopolitical context of the 1980s and 1990s, with its market philosophy in education, and brings together the contributions of leading writers and researchers of international standing. The wide-ranging coverage of educational disadvantage in this book includes, in Part I, an examination of the educational problems experienced by particular ‘at risk’ groups: ethnic minority children; underachieving boys; looked-after children; poor school attenders; and children displaying disruptive behaviour in the classroom. Part II focuses on a variety of approaches to meeting the needs of disadvantaged children. A final chapter brings together common themes and issues, and relates these to the educational reforms of the present British Government. Combating Educational Disadvantage provides an important source of authoritative discussion of various aspects of educational disadvantage, and will be highly relevant to educationalists, teachers and professional workers in educational support and allied services. It will also be of interest to those on undergraduate, postgraduate and higher degree courses in educational studies, including teacher training courses. Theo Cox is an Honorary Departmental Research Fellow in the Department of Education of the University of Wales Swansea. His research interests have centred on educationally disadvantaged children, and he has written books and research articles on this topic. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Combating Educational Disadvantage Meeting the Needs of Vulnerable Children Edited by Theo Cox London and New York First published 2000 by Falmer Press 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Falmer Press Garland Inc., 19 Union Square West, New York, NY10003 This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002. Falmer Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group © 2000 selection and editorial matter Theo Cox; individual chapters, the contributors All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Combating educational disadvantage: meeting the needs of vulnerable children/ edited by Theo Cox. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Socially handicapped children—Education. 2. School improvement programmes. 3. Educational change. 4. Education and state. I. Cox, T. (Theodore) LC4065.C66 1999 371.9–dc21 99–39563 CIP ISBN 0-750-70901-4 (hbk) ISBN 0-750-70900-6 (pbk) ISBN 0-203-00983-5 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-17267-1 (Glassbook Format) Contents List of Tables and Figures Foreword ix xi RONALD DAVIE 1 Introduction 1 THEO COX PART I Vulnerable Groups 2 Ethnic Minorit