Looking To England? Lessons From Market-Driven Reform in Mathematics Education.

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Abstract

This commentary reflects on the effects of policy changes in the English school system over the last 30 years and their implications for mathematics education in particular. Its aim is to point to characteristics of systems that, as in England, are driven by policy based on economic principles involving market choices. To achieve this, we start by briefly summarising what we see as the significant elements of policy changes in England since the mid-1990s. We then reflect on our own previous research, alongside that of others, to identify what we consider to be three ‘watch-points’ – specific symptoms of a market-driven approach to education. These relate, respectively, to effects on teachers’ professional identities, pedagogy, and the configuration of mathematics itself as a school subject. These watch-points are not judgements of the English system per se but are offered as ways to alert readers to the potential effects of education policy modelled largely on economic principles.

Publication Date

2026-07-29

Publication Title

New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies

ISSN

0028-8276

Acceptance Date

2026-07-19

Deposit Date

2026-07-31

Embargo Period

2027-07-29

Keywords

Education policy, Marketisation, Mathematical knowledge, Mathematics education, Pedagogy, Teacher professional identity

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This item is under embargo until 29 July 2027

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