The term 'privatisation' is capable of many different interpretations
where education is concerned. For many on the far right of the politic
al spectrum, it embraces all those measures designed to work towards a
situation where, eventually, all schools will be in private ownership
and parents will be supplied with educational vouchers or 'credits' t
o spend at the schools of their choice. Yet it can also be broadened t
o cover all those initiatives which have the effect of blurring the bo
undaries between the private and state sectors. While privatisation in
the purest sense has not so far been achieved developments since 1979
have created a situation where there is considerable state support fo
r private institutions, where state schools find themselves increasing
ly reliant on support from local businesses and where schools are pitt
ed against one another in a cut-throat competition to attract pupils.