ABSTRACT
One central feature of the recent educational reforms in England and Wales is the explicit encouragement of an educational ‘market’ (e.g. DfE 1992). In such a market, schools are seen primarily as ‘producers’ (or traders), while parents are cast in the role of ‘consumers’ (or customers). The operation of this market assumes, amongst other things, that schools will be aware of the preferences of their parents, and that they will take active steps to change their practice in accordance with these preferences. In other words, it is assumed that the external pressures of the market will lead to internal changes in the functioning of schools (Bagley et al. 1996).
