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An inspector of schools as well as a professor of poetry, Matthew Arnold was an educator in the true sense of the word. Watching democracy breed self-satisfied Philistines, he relized that not all the liberty and industry in the world would insure the rule of right reason. If we are to survive, he said, we must seize on the best and make it prevail. The fate of civilization depends on our schools. Unfailingly relevant, his essays on education include Democracy, The Popular Education of France, and A French Eton, as well as three essays discovered by the editor in the pages of the London Review and republished here for the first time. They form a crucial chapter in the history of education, setting forth the standards upon which Arnold's literary criticism was to be based and from which his political utterances were to come.

Early childhood education and care has been a political priority in England since 1997, after a long period of neglect. Public funding has increased, and political parties aim to outbid each other in their offerings to families at each election. Transforming Early Childhood in England argues that, despite this attention, the system of early childhood services remains flawed and dysfunctional. National discourse is dominated by questions of the cost and availability of childcare, while a devalued workforce is characterized by a culture of quantifiable targets and measurement. With such deep-rooted problems, Claire Cameron and Peter Moss argue, early childhood education in England needs more than minor improvements. In the context of austerity measures affecting many young families, transformative change is urgent.
 
Transforming Early Childhood in England offers a critical analysis of the current system and proposes change based on a universal right to education. The book calls for revisions built on democratic principles, where all learning by all children is visible and recognized, educators are trusted and respected, and outcomes-driven targets are replaced. Combining criticism and hope, and drawing on inspiring research, the book is essential reading for students, educators, practitioners, parents, academics, and policymakers.