Abstract:
Schooling interfaces are not very permeable. Despite sustained efforts by many on either
side, they remain barriers that are crossed with difficulty. As a result, educators working within schools
may feel isolated while those on the outside may feel at a loss how to intervene. This paper attempts to
work at this interface and to speak to educators, policy makers and academics who are differently
positioned on either side of it. The paper attempts to provide an account of schooling that makes learning
one of its effects and that makes a difference for students from low-income families. This account of
schooling is underpinned by a commitment to aligning curriculum, assessment and pedagogy and
developing a common language and understanding of these message systems of schooling. Findings from
the large-scale Queensland School Reform Longitudinal Study and descriptions of teachers’ work are
integral to this discussion that addresses the enduring concern for social justice in schools.
