ABSTRACT
A discussion of Scotland’s educational inheritance can advance our inquiry in two ways. First, a distinctive understanding of the nature and importance of Scottish education has often figured prominently in the national consciousness and has, on occasion, influenced efforts to change or preserve educational practice. Most of this chapter is devoted to a discussion of this consciousness, partly because of its material influence on many of the events and situations we analyse later, and partly because our general argument concerning theory and practice in social research makes reference to the nature and state of public awareness. Before this, however, it may be useful to make a brief comparison between Scotland and England with respect to the forms that education takes and to the phasing and pattern of post-war expansion. Both education systems have experienced the dilemmas of expansion that we described in chapter 1 and it may be that some of the features of provision and response that characterise the Scottish education system in other respects – its distinctive curriculum, certification system and history of school organisation – will provide a helpful contrast with systems elsewhere.
