The effects of the significant changes in English education that have followed the 1988 Education Reform Act are explored in this study that considers the impact of the Reform Act on elementary schools and the changes in primary (elementary) schooling as an illustration of wider social developments. The work of B. Bernstein provides a framework for the exploration. The Primary Assessment, Curriculum, and Experience (PACE) Project was established in 1989 to monitor the effects of the Reform Act. Six schools were drawn from each of eight local education agencies (LEAs) across England, representing different socioeconomic circumstances, geographic regions, and other differences. These schools provided a sample of 48 headteachers. Interviews with 3 teachers from each school resulted in a teacher sample of 144 per round of the study. In each LEA one school was selected for more detailed study. The implementation of the national curriculum and associated assessment was of particular interest. Findings from the PACE study suggest that the attitudes and learning behavior of the children became much more performance oriented, rather than learning oriented, as they experienced the tightening of the curriculum and the impact of external and overt assessment. Teachers appeared to have increasing feelings that priorities were being imposed on them from above, with a loss of fulfillment and autonomy. Some teachers expressed fragmented identities, and many older and experienced teachers found it difficult to reconcile their beliefs with the new technocracy. A lack of confidence in their ability to cover the entire National Curriculum subjects was experienced by some. These changes are viewed in the wider context of social policy and change. (Contains 1 table, 6 figures, and 16 references.) (SLD)