This book is an essential guide for all education studies students, providing you with a clear overview of the key issues within your first year. It is an introductory text that encourages critical engagement, to enable you to develop a detailed understanding of the power and importance of education.

The issues are presented in four main sections – Theoretical Perspectives; Policy; Society and the Individual; Inside the School - helping you to make the connections between the different themes. ‘Stop, Think and Do’ boxes play a key part throughout the book, encouraging you to critically reflect on both the issues within the chapters and within Education as a whole.

Other features include:

• Introductions to each chapter to link the themes discussed in each section
• A summary of the key issues in each chapter for reflection
• Examples and case studies
• Links to key readings

The book helps you to extend your understanding of educational issues beyond schools to other phases of educational provision.