The Era of Centralisation: the 1988 Education Reform Act and its consequences

In a FORUM article published in 2005 (Volume 47, Nos 2 & 3) Terry Wrigley argued that 'Another school is possible'. The article prompted Trevor Fisher to respond explaining why, in his view, the centralising thrust of the 1988 Education Reform Act, the shift in power relationships, the politicisation of education over the past two decades and politicians' rigid control over education policy and processes, make the reality of a radical alternative to the current regime increasingly difficult. The author charts developments since the 1988 Act and calls for a Royal Commission to undertake a root-and-branch investigation into the politicisation of education.