Educational standards have figured prominently in recent debates on educational policy across the world. This is the first time such a distinguished group of scholars have come together in the UK to discuss the different perspectives on this issue.

Harvey Goldstein and Anthony Heath, introduction; Alison Wolf, with discussion by Julia Whitburn and David Reynolds - a comparative perspective on educational standards; Richard Aldrich, with discussion by Gillian Sutherland, Anthony Heath, and Sig Prais - educational standards in historical perspective; Mike Cresswell, with discussion by John Gray, Lindsay Paterson, and Chelly Halsey - the role of public examinations in defining and monitoring standards; David J. Bartholomew, with discussion by Harvey Goldstein and Ian Plewis - the measurement of standards.

There is much material here for those interested in the role of teacher professionalism in the determination of educational standards ... a short book which offers many interesting and worthwhile insights ... a worthwhile contribution to an important policy debate. Social Policy