ABSTRACT
The sociology of education has always been concerned with various dimensions of inclusion and exclusion and their effects on the distribution of achievement in the education systems of different countries. This interest has led to studies of access to education more generally, and especially access to education of high quality. In the ‘new sociology of education’ there is a focus on the content of subject-matter in schooling and how this is framed and delivered for different social groupings (Moore, 2007). Beyond this, the focus is on how the social organisation of education is intertwined with wider economic, social, political and cultural factors, as well as with the processes by which educational experiences and credentials are drawn on in the construction of identities and collectivities. While there does seem to be some social mobility between generations, it has repeatedly been shown that most education systems emphasise the reproduction of class and of material relations, which best serve those whose social background is highly attuned to the prevalent criteria for privilege. Like its organisation and the curriculum, the conduct of education tends to be subtly shaped by biases of gender and class (Moore, 2007). These processes are reinforced by the fact that teachers tend to emphasise static cultural values. This chapter describes the interplay of inclusion and exclusion in the education
system of New Zealand. First it will look at key policy decisions, then at research findings and finally at inclusivity and its problems in practice.
