Can all schools be successful? An exploration of the determinants of school 'success'

Abstract

This paper aims to shed light on some of the issues raised in the often polarised debate around effective schooling by exploring the complexities involved in trying to uncover the determinants of the differential 'success' of schools. In doing so, the paper challenges the oversimplification which characterises many of the arguments around school improvement by demonstrating that it is not a question, of either management and teaching or the social context of schooling determining the success or otherwise of schools. Drawing on in-depth qualitative research, the paper demonstrates the intricate and intimate connections between what school managers and teachers do and the socioeconomic and discursive environments within which they operate.