In this article, the author talks about a life with the sociology of education. He begins by describing the "old" and "new" sociologies of education. Then, he discusses the sociology of education policy and the relevance of Basil Bernstein, who remained the dominant presence within the sociology of education in the UK until his death in 2000 and beyond. He also talks about sociology and education policy today. He argues that work in the sociology of education should currently be doing more to inform public debate and, where possible, encouraging the development of policies that help enhance levels of achievement and participation amongst working-class children.