A UNIVERSITY VIEW
THE new edition of the Wales Journal of Education has recently been published by the University of Wales Press. Its contents have significant relevance for aspects of current policy and practice in education in Wales.
Three of the articles provide important insights on the Welsh Government’s ambition to create a million Welsh -speakers by 2050.
David Dallimore and Lowri Cunnington -Wynn from Bangor University highlight the limited availability of Welsh-medium childcare provision for our youngest children.
Brett Duggan and Hefin Thomas from Arad Research draw upon their evaluation of the Welsh-medium Education Strategy that operated up to 2016 to identify the challenges that will be faced in reaching the 2050 target.
Sion Llewellyn Jones from Cardiff University considers the influences that operate on parents in south east Wales in choosing Welsh-medium education.
In relation to education standards, Susan Golding from Cardiff University considers the influences of families on the aspirations of young people and Duncan Holtom from the People and Work Unit examines the complex factors which influence educational achievement by our most disadvantaged students.
Jane Nicholas from the National Foundation for Educational Research points to the mixed success which national tests in reading have had since their introduction in 2013.
These contributions have salient implications for current discussions on how we can achieve both excellence and equity in our education system whilst removing the worst aspects of the high-stakes accountability regime which many believe is currently hindering creativity in the Welsh education system.
The extent to which these factors impact upon Wales’ laudable commitment to the rights of the child is part of the evidence reflected upon in an article by Alyson Lewis from Cardiff University, Jackie Tyrie and Sian Sarwar from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Jane Waters from UWTSD and Jane Williams from Swansea University.
The range, richness and relevance of these contributions can be seen to reflect well on the current state of educational research in Wales.
After a long period when educational research capacity and activity has declined in Wales, there are now many signs of green shoots emerging and the Wales Journal of Education is pleased to contribute to this renaissance.
David Egan is Emeritus Professor of Education at Cardiff Metropolitan University and Joint Editor of the Wales Journal of Education