Chapter 1. They Knew Not Whither They Travelled: A Tour d’ Horizon; Robert McCloy -- Chapter 2. Partnership and Confidence 1944–1979; Robert McCloy -- Local Government Revisted: The Destruction of the Local Education Authority in England 1974–2016; Donald Naismith -- Chapter 4. Church Schools and Local Government: Partnerships and Accountabilities; Priscilla Chadwick -- Chapter 5. Wales Since Devolution: Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen; Robert McCloy -- Chapter 6. Education in Northern Ireland; Mary Gethins -- Chapter 7. Scotland: A Reputation Challenged; Robert McCloy -- Chapter 8. Post-Brexit Education in the UK: Threat and Opportunity; Tim Brighouse -- Chapter 9. A Journalist’s View; George Low -- Chapter 10. A New Dispensation of Trust; Robert McCloy.

This book provides a comprehensive understanding of how education has developed over the last 70 years within the United Kingdom. As education in Wales and Scotland continues to develop following increasing devolution, the contributors draw from personal accounts and practical experience to provide a comparison and evaluation of these differences. A critical stage in the history of education has been reached, particularly in light of the decision for Britain to leave the European Union: the authors explore the emergent fault lines and identify practical reforms. While this book will undoubtedly be of interest to educational historians, it will also be a valuable reference point for educationalists, practitioners and politicians. The contributors unpick the larger role of education in the United Kingdom and propose practical ways forward amid a time of crisis.