ABSTRACT
In addition to introducing a series of far-reaching reforms into the education system of England and Wales, the 1988 Education Reform Act provided the legislation for the abolition of the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) and the transfer of the education service to the twelve inner London boroughs and the Corporation of London. This chapter focuses on the admissions policies to secondary schools in the area formerly covered by the ILEA and how these have changed since the ILEA was abolished in 1990. In the first section, the research methodology that was adopted is outlined. This is followed by a description of the system of ‘banding’ that was used in the ILEA to try and ensure that secondary schools received a balanced (i.e. comprehensive) intake. The next section focuses on how the new inner London local education authorities (LEAs) have changed their admissions policies and the reasons for these changes-for example, political, administrative, or to increase parental choice. Issues related to individual school admissions policies and practices are then explored with the aim of trying to ascertain to what extent these can be attributed to such factors as parental choice, LEA policies, and broader issues related to the 1988 Education Reform Act (e.g. the introduction of grant-maintained schools and city technology colleges). Key findings from the research are then presented and the implications for policy and for future research studies are highlighted in the final part of the chapter.
