Innovation is a striking and polemical feature of contemporary schooling. The 1960s saw an upsurge of interest in progressive educational theories and debate and the benefits and disadvantages of their practical application, which continued after. But what was the reality behind the words? How far had teachers actually supported or adopted innovative approaches and what were the consequences for teachers, students and parents?

First published in 1978, this book discusses both the literature and some of the practical attempts to implement changes in education at primary and...