This article provides commentary on the relationship between childhood and agency within the context of education reform. The prominence of a `child-centred' social science and the trends in childcare policy, at least in some countries, towards the articulation of children's voices suggest possibilities for children as both research subjects and competent members of society. The article will address these possibilities through the analysis of a series of local and global issues connected to organizational, curricular and pedagogic changes in schooling. Although the focus is British pupils, reference is made to changes taking place in other countries. The position of pupils in schools is examined with reference to several themes: the role of the market and the individualizing of education; the need to produce `schooled' citizens by drawing attention to the relationship between the school and the wider community; and public concerns over behavioural and curricular standards. Reference is also made to children's potential as social agents in schools, but the main thrust of the argument is that recent education reform provides few channels for pupil participation.
Alanen, L.
(1998) `Children and the Family Order: Constraints and Competencies', in I. Hutchby and J. Moran-Ellis (eds) Children and Social Competence, pp. 29-45. London: Falmer Press.
2.
Alexander, R.
, J. Rose and C. Woodhead (1992) Curriculum Organisation and Classroom Practice in Primary Schools. London: Department of Education and Science.
3.
Armstrong, D.
and D. Galloway (1996) `How Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties View Professionals', in R. Davie and D. Galloway (eds) Listening to Children in Education, pp. 109-120. London: David Fulton.
4.
Ball, S.
(1994) Education Reform. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
5.
Barber, M.
(1992) `An Entitlement Curriculum: A Strategy for the Nineties', Journal of Curriculum Studies24(5): 449-455.
6.
Children's Rights Development Unit
(1994) UK Agenda for United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. London: CRDU
7.
Christchurch City Council
(1997) Strategy for Children: Looking After Our Children - and Our City. Christchurch: Christchurch City Council.
8.
Chubb, J.
and T. Moe (1990) Pupils, Markets and America's Schools. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution.
9.
Cowie, H.
, C. Murray and L. Brooks (1996) `How Effective are Peers in Tackling Bullying?', paper presented to European Education Research Association conference, Seville.
10.
Croll, P.
(1996) `A Curriculum for All? Special Education Needs and the National Curriculum', in P. Croll (ed.) Teachers, Pupils and Primary Schooling, pp. 134-145. London: Cassell.
11.
Cullingford, C.
(1991) The Inner World of the School. London: Cassell.
12.
Davies, L.
(1994) `Can Students Make a Difference? International Perspectives on Transformative Education', International Studies in the Sociology of Education4(1): 43-56
13.
Department for Education
(1994) Our Children's Education: The Updated Parent's Charter. London: Department for Education.
14.
DFEE (Department for Education and Employment)
(1997) Excellence in Schools. London: HMSO.
15.
Entwistle, N.
(1974) Child-Centred Education. London: Methuen.
16.
Epstein, D.
(1993) `Too Small to Notice? Constructions of Childhood and Discourse of “Race” in Predominantly White Contexts', Curriculum Studies1(3): 317-334.
17.
Flekkoy, M.
(1988) `Child Advocacy in Norway', Children and Society4: 307-318.
18.
Fogelman, K.
(1991) `Citizenship in Secondary Schools: The National Picture', in K. Fogelman (ed.) Citizenship in Schools, pp. 35-48. London: David Fulton.
19.
Galloway, D.
(1990) `Was the GERBIL a Marxist Mole?', in P. Evans and V. Varma (eds) Special Education: Past, Present and Future, pp. 187-204. Lewes: Falmer Press.
20.
Gorard, S.
(1996) `Three Steps to “Heaven”? The Family and School Choice', Educational Review48(3): 237-251.
21.
Hale, C.
, B. Farley-Lucas and R. Tardy (1996) `Interpersonal Conflict for a Younger Point of View: Exploring the Perspectives of Children', Qualitative Studies in Education9(3): 269-291.
22.
Harris, Susan
(1994) `Entitled to What? Control, Autonomy in School: A Student Perspective', International Studies in the Sociology of Education4(1): 57-76
23.
Hood-Williams, J.
(1990) `Patriarchy for Children: On the Stability of Power Relations in Children's Lives', in L. Chisholm et al. (eds) Childhood, Youth and Social Change, pp. 155-171. London: Falmer Press.
24.
James, A.
, C. Jenks and A. Prout (1998) Theorising Childhood. Cambridge: Polity Press.
25.
Jeffs, T.
(1995) `Children's Educational Rights in a New ERA', in B. Franklin (ed.) Handbook of Children's Rights, pp. 25-39. London: Routledge.
26.
Jonathan, R.
(1993) `Parents Rights in Schooling', in P. Munn (ed.) Parents and Schools, pp. 108-119. London: Routledge.
27.
Kelly, A.V.
(1994) The National Curriculum: A Critical Review. London: Paul Chapman.
28.
Kitzinger, J.
(1997) `Who Are You Kidding? Children, Power and the Struggle against Child Abuse', in A. James and A. Prout (eds) Constructing and Reconstructing Childhood, 2nd edn, pp. 165-189. London: Falmer Press.
29.
Morrow, V.
(1996) `Rethinking Childhood Dependency: Children's Contributions to the Domestic Economy', Sociological Review44(1): 58-77.
30.
National Curriculum Council
(1992) Starting Out with the National Curriculum. York: NCC.
31.
O'Brien, M.
(1995) `Allocation of Resources in Households: Children's Perspectives', Sociological Review43(3): 501-517.
32.
Oldman, D.
(1994) `Adult/Child Relations as Class Relations', in J. Qvortrup et al. (eds) Childhood Matters: Social Theory, Practice and Politics, pp. 43-58. Aldershot: Avebury.
33.
Opie, I.
and P. Opie (1969) Children's Games. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
34.
Osler, A.
(1994) `The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: Some Implications for Teacher Education', Education Review46(2): 141-150.
35.
Parton, N.
(1996) `The New Politics of Child Protection', in J. Pilcher and S. Wagg (eds) Thatcher's Children?, pp. 43-60. London: Falmer Press.
36.
Pollard, A.
(1996) `Playing the System? Pupil Perspectives on Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Primary Schools', in P. Croll (ed.) Teachers, Pupils and Primary Schooling, pp. 119-133. London: Cassell.
37.
Qvortrup, J.
(1994) `Childhood Matters: An Introduction', in J. Qvortrup et al. (eds) Childhood Matters: Social Theory, Practice and Politics, pp. 1-24. Aldershot: Avebury.
38.
Sears, A.
and A. Hughes (1996) `Citizenship Education and Current Educational Reform', Canadian Journal of Education21(2): 123-142.
39.
Sharp, R.
and A. Green (1975) Education and Social Control. London: Routledge.
40.
Silverman, D.
, C. Baker and J. Keogh (1998) `The Case of the Silent Child: Advice Giving and Advice Reception in Parent-Teacher Interviews', in I. Hutchby and J. Moran-Ellis (eds) Children and Social Competence, pp. 220-240. London: Falmer Press.
41.
Speir, S.
(1982) `The Everyday World of the Child', in C. Jenks (ed.) The Sociology of Childhood, pp. 181-188. London: Batsford.
42.
Viola, D.
(1997) `Educating Children for Citizenship', EthosP-62: 6-11.
43.
Waslander, S.
and M. Thrupp (1996) `Choice, Competition and Segregation: An Empirical Analysis of a New Zealand Secondary School Market', Journal of Education Policy10(1): 1-26.
44.
Willis, P.
(1977) Learning to Labour. Aldershot: Avebury.
45.
Wyness, M.
(1996) `Policy, Protectionism and the Competent Child', Childhood3(4): 431-447.
