ABSTRACT

This chapter explores social inclusion in education. It starts by discussing the danger of definitional inconsistencies, which compromises attempts for inclusion in practice. It then offers a societal rationale for inclusion and the legislative steps to sanction it in the UK. It exposes the juxtaposition between policy and practice by examining the contradiction between the rhetoric of standards and inclusion in education. It scrutinizes the divisive language used around government statistics for inclusion and questions why an apparent failure at inclusion, highlighted by inadequate data, is tolerated. It explores the challenge of perspective on inclusion and finishes by propounding an authentic model for inclusion against the neoliberal pseudo-inclusion currently applied in education.