Choice of Secondary School: Consumer Behaviour and Implications for Local Management of Schools

The management of schools is a prime objective of the 1988 Education Reform Act. However, local management of schools (LMS)implies much more than managing existing resources of people, finance and materials. Schools will have to compete for pupils, the numbers of which will determine financial support from the local authority. Successful competition for pupils will not simply mean more advertising and promotion: it will depend on targeting certain groups within the defined catchment area and decisions on targeting will result from elements of research. One such element, namely the decision‐making unit (DMU) within the family or household structure is examined. It identifies who makes decisions on choice of school together with the factors of schools′ activities which are important in that choice. Finally, it contrasts the above variables using ACORN (A Classification of Residential Neighbourhoods) as a base.