Towards a more unified and inclusive 14+ education and training system Ken Spours Institute of Education University of London Sub-brand to go here

The argument New Labour have an ‘adaptive’ neo- liberal approach to public services. Unions and their civil society allies need to promote a viable and inspiring democratic alternative vision and approach:  an inclusive, equitable and progressive vision of lifelong learning  have curriculum and learning at its heart  be based on enhanced ‘professionalism’  be based on a new democratic model of social partnership

Neo-liberal governance of 14+ education ‘Adaptive’ form of neo-liberal governance - New Labour’s ‘double shuffle’ The dominant theme - top-down performance management and imposed markets –Politicisation and constant change –Policy levers, unintended outcomes and transactions costs –Privileges certain voices (e.g. employers) and lack of power sharing of social partnership –Weak concept of the local; strongly competitive and weakly collaborative Divisive qualifications policy and a failing Diploma project Policy is dividing the Sector on age and on governance lines

Principles of an inclusive learning system 1.Vision of an all-through unified learning system from Tomlinson approach to diplomas and credit 3.Enhanced professional role in assessment 4.Teaching, learning and progression at the heart of the system 5.Inclusion reinforced by equity - learners, teachers and communities 6.Strong incentives for collaboration and institutional rationalisation 7.Social partnership approach to labour market and skills

Devolved social partnership approach to governance A more democratic approach to governance Devolved relations to from national, to regional and to local A slower and more participative culture of national politics Policy frameworks to replace policy levers – ‘license to practice’ Democratic accountability and realignment of NDPBs Collaborative local and regional ecologies of provider relations All these developments informed by an inclusive, unified education and curricular vision