Official Papers
green papers, white papers, policy documents and bills
Green papers set out the broad direction of government policy to inform public discussion; White papers contain specific proposals for government Bills, which, if passed, become Acts of Parliament; recently governments have also published what are described as 'policy documents'.
1941 The 'Green Book' Education After the War: confidential memorandum produced by Board of Education officials. Many of its recommendations - including the 'tripartite' system of secondary schools - were included in the 1943 White Paper.
1943 White Paper Educational Reconstruction: formed the basis of the 1944 Education Act.
1972 White Paper Education: A Framework for Expansion: announced planned increases in nursery provision but mainly focused on the expansion of higher and further education.
1974 White Paper Educational disadvantage and the educational needs of immigrants: set out the government's response to the Report on Education of the Select Committee on Race Relations and Immigration.
1977 Green paper Education in schools: a consultative document: requested LEAs to review their curriculum policies as part of the 'Great Debate'.
1978 White Paper Secondary School Examinations - A single system at 16 plus: set out the government proposals for replacing GCE and CSE with the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).
1980 White Paper Special Needs in Education: in this White Paper Margaret Thatcher's first government responded to the recommendations of the 1978 Warnock Report Special Educational Needs. Its proposals formed the basis of the 1981 Education Act.
1981 White Paper A New Training Initiative: set out the first Thatcher government's plans for implementing the proposals of the Manpower Services Commission, including the Youth Training Scheme.
1983 White Paper Teaching Quality: set out the first Thatcher government's thinking on teacher supply and training.
1984 Green Paper Parental Influence at School: proposed that parents should play a major role on school governing bodies.
1985 White Paper Better Schools: incorporated proposals from the 1984 Green Paper; formed the basis of the 1986 (No. 2) Education Act.
1987 White Paper Higher education: meeting the challenge: set out the government's proposals for changes in the structure and planning of higher education.
1991 White Paper Education and Training for the 21st century (May): its proposals were included in the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act.
1991 White Paper Higher Education: A New Framework (May): its proposals were included in the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act.
1992 White Paper Choice and Diversity: A new framework for schools: its proposals (including making it easier for schools to achieve grant-maintained status) formed the basis of the 1993 Education Act.
1996 White Paper Self-Government for Schools (June): set out the government's proposals for giving grant-maintained schools more freedom, extending choice and diversity, and encouraging the establishment of new grammar schools.
1996 White Paper Learning to Compete: Education and Training for 14-19 Year Olds (December): set out 'the Government's vision of the education and training world we shall need to meet the demands of the next century'.
1997 White Paper Excellence in schools: formed the basis of the 1998 School Standards and Framework Act.
1997 Green Paper Excellence for all children: Meeting Special Educational Needs: set out five year plan.
1998 Green Paper The Learning Age: a renaissance for a new Britain: set out government proposals for lifelong learning which formed the basis of the 1999 White Paper Learning to Succeed.
1998 Green Paper Teachers: meeting the challenge of change: New Labour's first Green Paper on the teaching profession.
1999 White Paper Learning to Succeed: a new framework for post-16 learning (June): proposed Individual Learning Accounts and the University for Industry (UfI).
2000 Policy Paper A Sporting Future for All: published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, this paper set out New Labour's vision for increasing participation in sport.
2001 Green Paper Schools: building on success: trumpeted the achievements of the first New Labour administration and set out an agenda for a second term, proposing greater diversity in secondary schools.
2001 Policy Paper The Learning Country: the National Assembly for Wales announced its intention to create a fully comprehensive system of secondary schools.
2001 White Paper Schools: achieving success: formed the basis of the 2002 Education Act.
2002 Green Paper 14-19: extending opportunities, raising standards: set out proposals for the 14-19 curriculum.
2003 White Paper The future of higher education: controversially proposed allowing universities to charge variable top-up fees; formed the basis of the 2004 Higher Education Act.
2003 Green Paper 14-19: opportunity and excellence: set out proposals for the 14-19 curriculum taking into account responses to the 2002 Green Paper. (Published in two volumes but combined here into a single pdf file).
2003 Green Paper Widening participation in higher education: set out the government's proposals for the creation and remit of the Office for Fair Access.
2003 Policy Paper 21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential: set out the government's Skills Strategy.
2003 Green Paper Every child matters: proposed the integration of children's services so as to take a holistic view of children and their life chances; formed the basis of the 2004 Children Act.
2004 Green Paper Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners: formed the basis for the 2005 White Paper Higher standards, better schools for all.
2004 Green Paper Ambitious, excellent schools: produced by the Scottish Executive, this was Scotland's version of the Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners.
2005 White Paper 14-19 Education and Skills: rejected most of 2004 Tomlinson Report's recommendations.
2005 White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools for All: proposed independent trust schools; formed the basis of the 2006 Education and Inspections Bill.
2006 Green Paper Care Matters: Transforming the Lives of Children and Young People in Care: formed the basis of the 2007 White Paper Care Matters: Time for change.
2007 Green Paper Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16: proposed that all young people should stay in education or training up to the age of 18.
2007 White Paper Care Matters: Time for change: the Blair government's last education White Paper set out proposals for improving 'the plight of children in care'.
2007 Policy Paper The Children's Plan: Building brighter futures: ambitious plan for all future government policy relating to children, families and schools.
2007 Education and Skills Bill: became the 2008 Education and Skills Act
.