Divergences in the Framing of Inclusive Education Across the UK: A Four-Nations Critical Policy Analysis

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable Session 11:25 am
  In Roundtable Session: Policies and Their Implications for Enabling Learning and Inclusion (Table 29)

Abstract

Commitments to inclusive education have been articulated in policy across the UK, in the context of increasingly inclusive rhetoric in education policy globally over recent years. This paper uses a critical policy analysis approach to understand the framing of inclusion within national legislation, policy documents and associated key resources from across the four UK nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The paper seeks to understand how the four UK nations articulate and portray their inclusive education policies and the political and ideological motivations and priorities that are apparent within these policies. Through this analysis we find not only divergence between the four nations, but also within the policy documents of each nation.

Authors

• Cathryn Knight, University of Bristol

• Carmel Conn, University of South Wales

• Tom Crick, Swansea University

• Sian M. Brooks, Swansea University