We conducted semi-structured interviews with two participants who were deeply involved in the designing and implementing of government policy reforms for schools in England over the last 10 years.Raising standards of teaching and learning in schools is a key focus of recent educational reforms. The purpose of this research is to contribute new knowledge of the complex interface between policy intentions and educational practices and outcomes through a comparative analysis of the ways in which the intended outcomes of such reforms are mediated and enacted by school leaders and teachers in a diverse range of effective and improving secondary schools in England and Hong Kong. The research will begin with a mapping exercise of perceived challenges of current government reforms in Hong Kong and England and a secondary analysis of two existing national surveys on senior and middle leaders' perceptions of their principals' contribution to change and improvement in their schools. These analyses will inform case studies of eight successful secondary schools (four in each country) across diversified school populations in different socio-economic contexts. Pupil surveys will also be conducted to explore their views on the impact of changes (or no change) in their schools and classrooms on their motivation to learn and achieve. The research will make a distinctive contribution to knowledge of how mandated reforms are enacted in schools for the improvement of pupil outcomes.

Telephone interviews with the two participants were undertaken at the beginning of the project. Each interview lasted 45 minutes to one hour.