Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines the sponsored grant-maintained schools initiative which was the second attempt by a Conservative government to increase the 'supply-side' of the educational 'market-place'. It shows the Sections in the 1993 Education Act that relate to sponsored grant-maintained schools were the result of a long period of pressure group politics which, in the end, met a favourable response from the then Secretary of State for Education, John Patten. The book considers the political nature of what is usually called policy formulation and implementation. It examines the way the Act came to be formulated as it was and then follows the path of policy development within the changing social, economic and political context of the period 1993 to 1998. The book also examines the background to the applications for funding from religious minority and other groups.