Papers by Sandra Leaton Gray
Since 1997, the Labour Government has been instrumental in seeking to ‘rebrand’ teaching for a ne... more Since 1997, the Labour Government has been instrumental in seeking to ‘rebrand’ teaching for a new, modern age. This involves attempting to align teaching to particular model of professionalism, matching the Government’s own agendas and policies. This paper questions whether this has helped or hindered teachers improve their status as professionals . It does this by describing two independent research studies that were carried out between 2003-2004, at the University of Bath and Cambridge University. Both studies were designed to assess the current state of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the UK, by undertaking an audit of what was available to teachers, and surveying attitudes towards it. The studies came up with similar findings, which paint a bleak picture of the current state nationally. A combination of financial constraints, and poor management in some cases, has led to a chaotic allocation of resources for professional development. Although some training organisations clearly took great pains to offer thoughtful, relevant courses to teachers, both studies came across many examples of poorly structured and irrelevant training. Additionally, there appeared to be significant geographical and demographic discrimination in the allocation of resources. The paper argues that the feeling of confusion, opacity and dissatisfaction with current arrangements reflects the contemporary status of teachers as professionals. If teachers are to receive the professional recognition they deserve, there needs to be a more integrated approach to professional development within schools, linked to conceptions of professionalism outside schools, including at Government level. All too often, CPD is seen as a way of simply briefing teachers on how best to apply Government policy, or meet examination targets. It is time to revisit the issue of teachers’ lifelong professional growth, encouraging greater reflection and autonomy, and funding professional development activities accordingly.
This article considers two aspects of the teacher’s role: teachers’ sense of professional identit... more This article considers two aspects of the teacher’s role: teachers’ sense of professional identity and the sense of vocation within everyday practice. It demonstrates how both repeatedly manifest themselves within teachers’ descriptions of their external environment in the light of societal changes and challenging economic conditions. The approach is not new, as there have been a number of related investigations from Waller (1932) to Day et al (2006) and beyond. Such investigations seek to understand the personal and professional motivations of teachers in relation to their work. This article continues in that vein, carefully examining comments made as part of an empirical study, comparing them to different definitions of professionalism derived from the literature. The comments are then analysed to identify the social location of identity, and potential tensions between the personal and professional aspects of teaching are highlighted and explored. The article concludes that the very act of examining the contemporary role of vocation not only throws light on teachers’ sense of identity, but also illuminates society’s attitudes towards education and young people as a whole. Gaining a better understanding of this allows us to develop more sustainable and enduring education policies that reach beyond immediate financial and structural imperatives.
In recent years, schools in engljand have increasingly adopted extensive data collection practice... more In recent years, schools in engljand have increasingly adopted extensive data collection practices to monitor pupils. However comparatively few schools seem to have developed a full understanding of data collection practices, despite expert guidance being repeatedly issued after the passing of the UK's Data Protection Act in 1988. This article presents the results of the 360 Degree Safe school self-review programme, which between 2009-2014 surveyed 4628 schools across most parts of England and Wales in relation to their data privacy policies. The findings indicate that whereas some schools have made significant progress towards a robust framework for data safeguarding, many still struggle to navigate the legal and moral maze.
There has probably been debate surrounding the provision and format of tutorial teaching within C... more There has probably been debate surrounding the provision and format of tutorial teaching within Cambridge for almost as long as there has been a university. This article offers a very brief overview of Cambridge supervisions during the last five hundred years. It begins by outlining teaching arrangements during Elizabethan times, when students were accepted at Cambridge at considerably younger ages than they are today. The article describes the relationship between the Elizabethan tutor as teacher and surrogate parent, and his students. The article then moves on to describe a shift in the tutor-student relationship that took place in the eighteenth century, as teaching standards at Cambridge waned. It outlines the growth in private tuition that began in the nineteenth century as a consequence falling standards. The article describes the mid-nineteenth century educational reforms that took place at Cambridge, instituted by Parliament, and their effect upon the tutorial process. Finally, the article discusses the period from 1950 to the present day, during which the supervision has developed in its modern form. It concludes that even today, supervisions are an important aspect of life at Cambridge. They fulfil an important function in ensuring improved equality of opportunity for students from diverse social and educational backgrounds.
Cambridge University has a long tradition of offering small group teaching to undergraduate stude... more Cambridge University has a long tradition of offering small group teaching to undergraduate students. Recipients report that this is highly effective in encouraging motivation and deep learning. However, until recently, there has been little opportunity to scrutinise the social and intellectual processes taking place, in order to establish how this system of teaching supports student learning in practice. This paper describes a research project that involved filming 10 hours of Engineering tutorials, and interviewing participants. It sought to establish whether such tutorial teaching conforms to perceived notions of best practice in Higher Education, and if so, which practices were involved. It was found that 7 distinct types of best practice predominated in the sessions that were filmed, although the selection of practices may have been in response to the demands of the Engineering curriculum in this particular faculty. The paper concludes by suggesting that greater awareness of the value of small group tutorial teaching to students may ensure its retention in the face of increasing constraints on Higher Education funding.
This paper examines notions of ‘educational time’ with particular reference to the work of Basil ... more This paper examines notions of ‘educational time’ with particular reference to the work of Basil Bernstein. It focuses closely on the 1967 Plowden Report as a particularly appropriate policy case study to demonstrate how different constructions of time can exist within the same document. It then develops educational models originally mapped out by Bernstein, arguing that a full understanding of the areas of consensus and conflict amongst these models is vital if we are to understand how teaching professionals think about the future. The paper addresses the following questions. How does time affect education? What influence does this have on educational outcomes? How does this relate to public policy initiatives? Assuming a tacit, collective understanding of time and the future can undermine the very policy intentions a government might be seeking to promulgate.
This was a one-year research project, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Villiers P... more This was a one-year research project, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Villiers Park Educational Trust. The funders had become increasingly concerned about an apparent decline in participation in subject-based continuing professional development for teachers. The main aim of the research was to review current subject-based professional development opportunities, to identify gaps in provision and to make recommendations for improving future provision. It was conceived as a study that would engage with practitioners at a ‘grass roots’ level.
This article debates three tensions within the contemporary teaching profession in Great Britain,... more This article debates three tensions within the contemporary teaching profession in Great Britain, in terms of education policy after the 1988 Education Reform Act. The first is between prospective and retrospective identities, as defined by Bernstein (1996/2000). The second is between teachers’ expectations of professional status, and centralised and highly regulated school inspections. Finally, the article looks at vocation in the teaching profession, and how this comes into conflict with issues of self-interest amongst teachers. The article concludes by suggesting another tension that is evident throughout all three earlier strands of debate, between democratic professionalism (Whitty, 2002) and the post-1988 education landscape. The article closes by suggesting that a future education act in favour of a more humane education system may resolve this situation.
This article discusses whether the occupational culture of teachers has changed as a consequence ... more This article discusses whether the occupational culture of teachers has changed as a consequence of increased managerialism, using as an exemplar some of the routine planning, assessment and reporting procedures in common use in schools in England. The article examines this claim in the light of developments after the 1988 Education Reform Act, which had a profound effect on the way education is delivered in England. It then relates this question to the issue of teacher and pupil identity within the English education system, and concludes that there are dangers with using such frameworks for education, as they can undermine the role of the child as an individual within the schooling process.
Aim
To carry out a post-impact evaluation of a cross-infection control CD-ROM, developed for NHS... more Aim
To carry out a post-impact evaluation of a cross-infection control CD-ROM, developed for NHS dental teams as a continuing professional development e-learning tool. The program was commissioned by the Department of Health and developed by a project team through the UK Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans. The Dental Practice Board had originally sent one copy of the CD-ROM to each dental practice in England in 2004.
Method
A quantitative statistical analysis of the results of 326 online respondents to the learning package and a survey of 118 dental practi tioners drawn from the Dental Practice Board database.
Results
Practitioners felt the CD-ROM in this instance was well designed and appropriate for their needs. It is inclusive and accessible to a wide range of dental professionals including nurses and hygienists.
Conclusions
This form of continuing professional development is popular with dental practitioners, although it should not be the only form of continuing professional development available. However, whilst the project was generally regarded as successful, there were problems with the distribution of the CD-ROM. This suggests that an online resource should be made available in the future.
Brighouse, T and Fullick, L (Eds) Education in a Global City: Essays from London, Nov 1, 2007
This chapter assesses the impact of new forms of schooling in London. It debates whether London e... more This chapter assesses the impact of new forms of schooling in London. It debates whether London education is currently in an unsettled phase which may be an early indication of a future post-competition era for education in England. The chapter opens by outlining the social and political history of comprehensive secondary education in the capital. The chapter goes on to consider recent Select Committee evidence on social and academic segregation in the context of school choice, selection and achievement in London. The tension between the standards/inclusion agenda and tackling disadvantage is explored. The chapter concludes with an examination of trusts, federations and extended schools, followed by an assessment of the impact which new governance arrangements might have on social inequalities among London schools.
Since the 1988 Education Reform Act, the teacher’s role in England has changed in many ways, a pr... more Since the 1988 Education Reform Act, the teacher’s role in England has changed in many ways, a process which intensified under New Labour after 1997. Conceptions of teacher professionalism have become more structured and formalized, often heavily influenced by government policy objectives. Career paths have become more diverse and specialised. In this article, three post-1997 professional roles are given consideration as examples of these new specialised career paths: Higher Level Teaching Assistants, Teach First trainees and Advanced Skills Teachers. The article goes on to examine such developments within teaching, using Bourdieu’s concept of habitus to inform the analysis, as well as Bernstein’s theories of knowledge and identity. The article concludes that there has been considerable specialization and subsequent fragmentation of roles within the teaching profession, as part of workforce remodelling initiatives. However, there is still further scope for developing a greater sense of professional cohesion through social activism initiatives, such as the children’s agenda. This may produce more stable professional identities in the future as the role of teachers within the wider children’s workforce is clarified.
The United Kingdom Conservative Party’s adoption of the Big Society idea with its
advocacy of les... more The United Kingdom Conservative Party’s adoption of the Big Society idea with its
advocacy of less centralised and more distributed power has provoked discussion about power in
education. Most of these discussions have focused on generalities without pinning down either how
the power of particular groups of educational stakeholders might change under the reforms proposed
or what they mean by power. Accordingly, a detailed examination was carried out of proposed changes
for stakeholders’ power in the Conservative Party’s major policy documents and speeches. A complex
set of changes in power was noted. In contrast to the claims that power will be more distributed and
less centralised as a result of Big Society policies, it is argued that educational reforms may lead to
increasing centralisation of particular sorts of power. This may be of relevance to other countries
experimenting with new types of politicised education reform.
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Papers by Sandra Leaton Gray
To carry out a post-impact evaluation of a cross-infection control CD-ROM, developed for NHS dental teams as a continuing professional development e-learning tool. The program was commissioned by the Department of Health and developed by a project team through the UK Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans. The Dental Practice Board had originally sent one copy of the CD-ROM to each dental practice in England in 2004.
Method
A quantitative statistical analysis of the results of 326 online respondents to the learning package and a survey of 118 dental practi tioners drawn from the Dental Practice Board database.
Results
Practitioners felt the CD-ROM in this instance was well designed and appropriate for their needs. It is inclusive and accessible to a wide range of dental professionals including nurses and hygienists.
Conclusions
This form of continuing professional development is popular with dental practitioners, although it should not be the only form of continuing professional development available. However, whilst the project was generally regarded as successful, there were problems with the distribution of the CD-ROM. This suggests that an online resource should be made available in the future.
advocacy of less centralised and more distributed power has provoked discussion about power in
education. Most of these discussions have focused on generalities without pinning down either how
the power of particular groups of educational stakeholders might change under the reforms proposed
or what they mean by power. Accordingly, a detailed examination was carried out of proposed changes
for stakeholders’ power in the Conservative Party’s major policy documents and speeches. A complex
set of changes in power was noted. In contrast to the claims that power will be more distributed and
less centralised as a result of Big Society policies, it is argued that educational reforms may lead to
increasing centralisation of particular sorts of power. This may be of relevance to other countries
experimenting with new types of politicised education reform.
To carry out a post-impact evaluation of a cross-infection control CD-ROM, developed for NHS dental teams as a continuing professional development e-learning tool. The program was commissioned by the Department of Health and developed by a project team through the UK Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans. The Dental Practice Board had originally sent one copy of the CD-ROM to each dental practice in England in 2004.
Method
A quantitative statistical analysis of the results of 326 online respondents to the learning package and a survey of 118 dental practi tioners drawn from the Dental Practice Board database.
Results
Practitioners felt the CD-ROM in this instance was well designed and appropriate for their needs. It is inclusive and accessible to a wide range of dental professionals including nurses and hygienists.
Conclusions
This form of continuing professional development is popular with dental practitioners, although it should not be the only form of continuing professional development available. However, whilst the project was generally regarded as successful, there were problems with the distribution of the CD-ROM. This suggests that an online resource should be made available in the future.
advocacy of less centralised and more distributed power has provoked discussion about power in
education. Most of these discussions have focused on generalities without pinning down either how
the power of particular groups of educational stakeholders might change under the reforms proposed
or what they mean by power. Accordingly, a detailed examination was carried out of proposed changes
for stakeholders’ power in the Conservative Party’s major policy documents and speeches. A complex
set of changes in power was noted. In contrast to the claims that power will be more distributed and
less centralised as a result of Big Society policies, it is argued that educational reforms may lead to
increasing centralisation of particular sorts of power. This may be of relevance to other countries
experimenting with new types of politicised education reform.