Testing Times

John Humphrys revisits his old school to assess education in Wales today.

The decade since devolution has seen the educational performance of Wales fall behind the other nations of the UK. The Principality emerged particularly poorly from a recent international test of educational ability.

What is Wales doing wrong?

Wales abandoned the controversial SAT tests and school league tables in 2001. Could this move-part of the Welsh Assembly's larger effort to put 'clear red water' between Cardiff and Westminster-be at the heart of the nation's poor performance?

John Humphrys goes back to school to ask what is education for and what part should testing and tables play?

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 June 2011.

John Humphrys assesses the effects of the radical education policies in contemporary Wales