"The raising of standards in schools is a global challenge to policy-makers. To overcome it means to remove the ongoing influence of poverty on school success. In an age of global mobility, economic polarization and unprecedented environmental and cultural challenges, the education of all children and young people to higher levels has become a key issue of international policy.This book presents new thinking and practice for progressing school change today, drawn from the works of authors around the world. Educational policy-making has been dominated by particular human capital oriented theories of school improvement, formulated and implemented in neo-liberal political environments. This book seeks to challenge this dominance. It draws both on contemporary innovations in practice and theory and long standing traditions of alternative thinking and practice. Linking together and articulating other ways of conceiving of and implementing school change, it bases its findings on values of equality and global citizenship. It shows how schools can work to make different knowledges, languages, narratives, truths and ways of being integral to mainstream curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and school cultures and structures.The book is directed at all who are concerned with progressive school change and the promotion of democratic citizenship and social justice. This will include education students, those currently studying for school leadership positions, heads, teachers and policy-makers"-- Provided by publisher.