To bridge the gap? Voluntary action in primary schools

Journal article


Body, A., Hogg, E. and Holman, K. 2017. To bridge the gap? Voluntary action in primary schools. Voluntary Sector Review. 8 (3), pp. 251-271. https://doi.org/10.1332/204080517X15090107362612
AuthorsBody, A., Hogg, E. and Holman, K.
Abstract

Voluntary action has long played a role in state education, with Parent Teacher Associations being one of the most common forms of charitable organisation in England. However, education policy, driven by a growing free-market discourse and policy initiatives such as localism, is increasingly pushing for greater voluntary action.

This article explores the distribution of voluntary action for primary schools in one local authority area in England. Drawing upon primary data from 114 questionnaires completed by head teachers and secondary data from the financial records (2013/14) of 380 primary schools, we find evidence of considerable uneven dispersal of voluntary action between schools. These disparities are related to factors including school size, location, leadership ideology and the socio-economic profile of the school. The consequence of this uneven distribution is that schools catering for more affluent communities are more likely to have additional resources than those with poorer profiles.

Year2017
JournalVoluntary Sector Review
Journal citation8 (3), pp. 251-271
PublisherPolicy Press
ISSN2040-8064
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1332/204080517X15090107362612
Publication dates
Online01 Nov 2017
Publication process dates
Deposited24 Oct 2017
Accepted19 Oct 2017
Accepted author manuscript
Output statusPublished
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