The paper by Gert Biesta, Mark Priestley, and Sarah Robinson explores the role of beliefs in teacher agency within the context of educational reform. The authors draw from a two-year study in Scotland, focusing on the implementation of the *Curriculum for Excellence* and its impact on teachers' practices. They argue that while teacher agency is crucial for the quality of education, it is often overshadowed by evidence-based and data-driven approaches. The study highlights the importance of understanding the dynamics of teacher agency and the factors that promote or hinder it. The authors use a theoretical framework that combines ecological and sociological perspectives on agency, emphasizing the interplay between individual efforts, available resources, and contextual and structural factors. They focus on three areas of teachers' beliefs: beliefs about children and young people, beliefs about teaching, and beliefs about the purposes of education. Key findings include: 1. **Beliefs about Children and Young People**: Teachers generally have a strong sense of professional responsibility towards their students, emphasizing the importance of relationships and a safe learning environment. However, there is a deficit view of children, with terms like 'able' and 'poor' used to describe students, reflecting a tension between directive and instrumental roles. 2. **Beliefs about Teaching**: Teachers acknowledge a shift from being knowledge deliverers to facilitators of learning, but this shift is often seen in a instrumental manner. There is a lack of systematic understanding of interdisciplinary work and a reluctance to take on more autonomous roles. 3. **Beliefs about Educational Purpose**: Teachers' beliefs are largely instrumental, focusing on short-term goals such as engaging students and maintaining a 'normal desirable state' in the classroom. There is a lack of long-term thinking about educational purposes, which limits their agency and the quality of education. The authors conclude that teacher agency is influenced by both individual beliefs and the broader institutional and cultural contexts. They suggest that promoting teacher agency requires collective development and consideration, as well as a clear vision of the purposes of education.The paper by Gert Biesta, Mark Priestley, and Sarah Robinson explores the role of beliefs in teacher agency within the context of educational reform. The authors draw from a two-year study in Scotland, focusing on the implementation of the *Curriculum for Excellence* and its impact on teachers' practices. They argue that while teacher agency is crucial for the quality of education, it is often overshadowed by evidence-based and data-driven approaches. The study highlights the importance of understanding the dynamics of teacher agency and the factors that promote or hinder it. The authors use a theoretical framework that combines ecological and sociological perspectives on agency, emphasizing the interplay between individual efforts, available resources, and contextual and structural factors. They focus on three areas of teachers' beliefs: beliefs about children and young people, beliefs about teaching, and beliefs about the purposes of education. Key findings include: 1. **Beliefs about Children and Young People**: Teachers generally have a strong sense of professional responsibility towards their students, emphasizing the importance of relationships and a safe learning environment. However, there is a deficit view of children, with terms like 'able' and 'poor' used to describe students, reflecting a tension between directive and instrumental roles. 2. **Beliefs about Teaching**: Teachers acknowledge a shift from being knowledge deliverers to facilitators of learning, but this shift is often seen in a instrumental manner. There is a lack of systematic understanding of interdisciplinary work and a reluctance to take on more autonomous roles. 3. **Beliefs about Educational Purpose**: Teachers' beliefs are largely instrumental, focusing on short-term goals such as engaging students and maintaining a 'normal desirable state' in the classroom. There is a lack of long-term thinking about educational purposes, which limits their agency and the quality of education. The authors conclude that teacher agency is influenced by both individual beliefs and the broader institutional and cultural contexts. They suggest that promoting teacher agency requires collective development and consideration, as well as a clear vision of the purposes of education.