Legislative acts of British education reforms of Tony Blair`s new labour government

Abstract

The study of positive foreign experience in the sphere of school education reforming may be considered as one of the important factors for Ukrainian schooling development. In this regard, the reformist activities of British New Labour governments, led by Tony Blair in 1997-2008, are of particular interest and possible application.

Long-term consistent school reforms undertaken by Blair's governments have significantly changed the overall situation in the United Kingdom's secondary education. The innovative potential of mostly productive New Labour educational reforms is worthy of a comprehensive study for possible creative implementation in Ukrainian schooling.

The purpose of the article is to study the British experience of structural reforms of general secondary education undertaken by Tony Blair's governments, from the point of view of the possibilities of their creative use in Ukrainian schools.

In accordance with the specificity of the issue examined and the tasks assigned, the following research methods were used: general scientific methods of analysis synthesis, comparison, generalization of key education reforms documents, of New Labour governments from 1997 till 2008; diachronic and content-analysis methods were applied to characterize New Labour reforms; method of scientific extrapolation assisted to define the innovative potential of British reforms for further development of Ukrainian secondary education. 

On the whole, the consistent work of New Labour government on the structural reforms of British schooling has greatly expanded the chances of educational choice, personalizing them and improving the quality of education. The New Labour government of Tony Blair directed their educational policy at the development of globalization processes, knowledge economy and information society. Owing to New Labour reforms British general secondary education has undergone decisive structural transformations at all levels of its functioning. Modernization of modern Ukrainian schooling can benefit from Blair's experience of secondary education diversification in conjunction with equal access to education and social justice; personalized studying; consistent transformation of the school from a purely educational institution to a public life centre. The overall innovative potential of Blair's educational reforms requires further in-depth study and research.