STEPHEN GORARD is Professor of Education Research at the University of Birmingham, UK, researching patterns of lifelong participation in education, school effectiveness and improvement, and policy evaluations in general. He is author of many publications, is a regular adviser to governments and organisations concerned with educational improvement, and his work frequently appears in the media.
EMMA SMITH is Reader in the School of Education, University of Birmingham, UK. She is interested in equity issues in the field of education and in the role that educational policy can play in reducing inequalities and closing achievement gaps. She is a former Chemistry teacher and SENCO and is currently carrying out research into pupils views of fairness in school, as well as into patterns of participation in Higher Education science programmes.
