Essential reading for all involved in the educational sector in Wales (and beyond), A Class Apart investigates the effectiveness of educational policies, such as the Foundation Phase and Welsh Baccalaureate, introduced by the Welsh Government since devolution and assesses whether they have really created the potential for Wales to become a 'small, clever nation'. Spanning all major policy developments, from Primary to Higher Education, since 1999, Gareth Evans also assesses the legacy of the two main protagonists, former Education Ministers Jane Davidson and Leighton Andrews. He investigates the issues that some policymakers wished were swept under the carpet and delves deeper to analyse the big issues effecting educational practitioners in Wales, including: Welsh education's place on the world stage The growing funding gap between Wales and England The role of schools inspectorate Estyn The truth behind Wales' ambitious PISA target The 2012 GCSE grading fiasco Secrecy and personality clashes in the higher education merger saga His chronological account also includes the events up to and following the PISA results of 2013 and his close proximity to the key protagonists in Welsh education provides him with the perfect position to judge the situation in which Wales' education system finds itself today.

About the Author
Gareth Evans has been the Education Correspondent of the national newspaper of Wales, The Western Mail, since December 2009. He was educated at Cardiff University and lives in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Reviews
"Gareth is Wales' most incisive commentator on education. He has built a reputation for fair and fearless analysis that gets beyond the spin." Lee Waters, Director, Institute of Welsh Affairs "Gareth is distinguished and trusted because he is a master of data mining and data, basing his reporting only on evidence rather than belief. " Sir John Cadogan, former Director General of the UK Research Councils and inaugural President of the Learned Society of Wales "Gareth provides the perspective of an analytical, insightful, bold and fearless writer whose primary motivation is to see the Welsh education system become increasingly successful. I am convinced that the issues raised in A Class Apart are applicable internationally. There are many lessons which we can all learn from the Welsh experience and the strategies that they have employed." Dr Avis Glaze, former Chief Student Achievement Officer of Ontario



Book Information
ISBN 9781860571237
Author Gareth D. J. Evans
Format Paperback
Page Count 247
Imprint Welsh Academic Press
Publisher Welsh Academic Press
Dimensions(mm) 232mm * 155mm * 17mm