This work investigates the state of primary education at the close of the 20th century to project the necessary trajectories for schooling in the new millennium. Edited by Colin Richards and Philip H. Taylor, the text synthesizes contributions from various experts to evaluate the roles of the state, educators, and families. It provides a structured framework for understanding the evolution of pedagogical procedures and the resulting outcomes for primary-aged children.

Experts and educators recognize this volume as a comprehensive survey of late 20th-century educational theory and practice. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational reference for those studying the history and development of primary schooling.