The aim of this book is to find a paradigm that can be used to achieve greater social fairness, by finding individual/local solutions still in line with national policies and strategies. This book is an argument for equity and inclusion in education based on a model of social justice which is grounded in relationships and learning rather than policies and structures. Securing equity is fundamental to government policy in England - it is at the heart of Every Child Matters and underpins the Children's Strategy. A key issue for education policy and practice in England is the disparity between excellence and equity - in essence, England has the longest tail of under achievement of any country in Western Europe. However, this problem is not limited to wide disparities in educational performance. In the 2007 UNICEF Report 'The wellbeing of children in rich countries' the UK came at the bottom of the international league table. There are numerous examples of how a wide range of variables can compromise a child's life chances, wellbeing and opportunities.
At present, the design and delivery of the education system can be seen to reinforce these negative factors rather than seek to explicitly address them. Countries that combine excellence with equity and where young people experience high levels of wellbeing tend to be societies with a commitment to social justice, equity and inclusion. There is an increasing recognition that long term educational and social reforms have to focus on issues around social justice if they are to be more than palliative responses. The aim of this book is to find a paradigm that can be used to achieve greater social fairness, by finding individual/local solutions still in line with national policies and strategies.