EXAMINING THE LEGACY OF THINK TANKS AND THE ACADEMIES ACT IN SHAPING EDUCATION POLICY

Abstract

The adoption of the Academies Act (2010) marked a significant shift in English education policy, driven by politics and limited evidence. This article investigates the role of evidence in policymaking, with a focus on the long-term changes and preferences of policymakers. Think tanks played a pivotal role in formulating the Academies Act, aligning with the Conservative Party's ideological stance on education policy. The article argues that evidence-based policy is an attempt to depoliticize political arguments, but evidence is often intertwined with political judgment. With externalization and politicization, the civil service model shifted from bureaucratic neutrality to seeking new advice beyond Whitehall. The article concludes that evidence-based policy can veil political arguments, and this shift in evidence use is politically driven.