Introduction

A team of highly regarded contributors were invited to take a rational look at the future of primary schools, particularly during the first 20 years of the next millennium. They were asked to consider many questions, including: What are the roots of primary education? What is the justification for a radical agenda? How well is the system working and in what ways could it further optimize its effectiveness in the interests of the participants? What is a primary school, and what purpose does it serve, and what ends does it have in view? Are these ends appropriate for the future?

This book, then, represents the thinking of key scholars and researchers working in the area of primary education and will be essential reading for those involved with the education of primary-aged children.