This article explores the upper secondary (or post-16) school market. The study onwhich it is based, funded by the Swedish Research Council, was entitled ‘Uppersecondaryeducation as a market’. Empirical data include official statistics, policydocuments, school publications, company reports and school visits. Printed andother news media were also scrutinised to identify how the marketisation ofeducation is represented in public discourse. A number of themes emerged fromthe study which included mapping the expansion of the school market, chains ofownership and influence, marketing strategies, choice and the school market andissues raised in the media. These imply that there is a new market discourse whichrepresents a clear break with previous social democratic education policiesprimarily aimed at enhancing citizenship and wider democratic values within aninclusive public school. However, critiques have also emerged including a call forstrengthened regulations of and control over independent schools and concernabout an education market equated more with shares and profits rather thanpedagogy and student citizenship.
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