The politics of educational change: governance and school inspection in England and Scotland

This paper draws on current research on inspection to consider change in education systems through a focus on the role of inspection as a practice of governing. It draws on interdisciplinary resources from political sociology and political science to highlight the political work of governing, in a context of changing governance, where networks of relationships require cooperation and coordination through the constant work of policy actors, including inspectors. We discuss the relationship between changing UK politics and changing inspection practices in England and Scotland to illustrate how inspection may be viewed as a governing practice