ENGLISH RADICALISM AND THE REFORM OF TEACHER-EDUCATION

The reform of teacher education in England and Wales became a central aspect of Conservative education policy during the early 1990s. This p aper examines the sustained attack on teacher education by the radical right which has focused on a supposed political bias of teacher educa tors, and on an alleged relationship between what is referred to as 't heory and practice'. The paper examines the debate, and demonstrates t hat neither radical right nor radical left argument provides an adequa te basis for the reform of teacher education.