The enduring insignificance of a school for its village: An English case study

Abstract

Rural schools are culturally valued for what they bring to the local community but under-researched. The article explores the role of the school within the rural community using new ethnographic material. It applies Bourdieu's field theory to understand the nuances within one English village. The local conditions informed a distinctive economic and social history that inhibited strong school-community relations. This created a stasis or inertia that was difficult for the school alone to overcome. The blended gentrification created by the expansion of the village had in turn changed the character of the village. Bourdieu's notion of field illustrates this interplay between rural imaginaries, space, cultural arbitraries and capitals – and their combined impact upon the status of the school in its village. • The significance of rural schools for the local community is under-researched, despite the value placed on rural schooling. • Research evidence shows that not all schools so readily add value to their communities and this varies over time. • Two new characteristics can be identified as underpinning this relationship – stasis and the economic cycle. • Bourdieu’s field theory can be used to illustrate change and adjustment in rural-global relations.