Government intervention in the control of schools, irrespective of which political party has been in power, has changed as the 1990s have proceeded. Beginning with policy innovations centred on the system, the concerns are now with the classroom, and such issues as teaching methods and skills of 'good teachers'. The quality of learning and the quality of teaching are officially designated categories of evaluation in the inspection of schools' performance.

This book reports a five year research project which aimed to capture the voices of secondary school pupils and teachers on how they defined key aspects of quality in learning and teaching. Based on individual interviews with 207 pupils and 133 teachers in ten British comprehensive schools with socially and geographically different catchment areas, the book describes and compares student and teacher perspectives on topics such as: 'what constitutes good teaching?', 'successful lessons' and, 'why pupils learn more in some classes'.

The content of this book will be of interest and importance to all teachers in secondary comprehensive schools, educational policymakers, teacher trainers and trainee teachers, for it provides the kind of information which can assist schools, teachers, and pupils in doing better. It makes a significant contribution to knowledge of what the key participants in teaching and learning think. The research findings reported in this book raise important issues for policy makers with regard to training and the development support provided for teachers.