Abstract

This article reviews the historical development of the education system in Wales, and of the emergence of concerns about its standards and quality after 2007, particularly after 2011. It is argued that policy responses to the perceived problems of the system have been extensive; but that the time-scale of the changes means that they may only now be impacting. It is argued that Wales and the Welsh Government need to explore additional policy arenas and areas of change. The focus should move beyond the 'supply side' change to utilise 'within school' variation as a mechanism of educational change. The Welsh Government should build further policies in areas where there are pre-existing Welsh differences, concentrating upon change at the 'meso' or middle level, including schools, local authorities and communities. This should include giving attention to the quality of teaching and teacher training and researching further those many areas of policy where Wales is now different in provision.

How to Cite:

Reynolds, D., (2016) “Education in Wales: How do we move from troubled and troubling to transformational?”, Wales Journal of Education 18(1), 161-178.