Education Professor leads Welsh Schools Challenge

09 Apr 2014 Professor Mel Ainscow (CBE), from The University of Manchester, is to be the Welsh Government's new champion for Schools Challenge Cymru, Education Minister Huw Lewis announced yesterday. Schools Challenge Cymru is the Welsh Government's multimillion, flagship improvement programme to increase performance in around 40 Welsh schools operating in the most challenging circumstances. In his role as Schools Challenge Cymru Champion, Professor Ainscow will provide knowledge, expertise, quality assurance, challenge and support to the Schools Challenge Cymru initiative. Huw Lewis said: "As Chief Adviser for the Greater Manchester Challenge between 2007 and 2011, Mel Ainscow is the perfect ambassador for our challenge programme. "His understanding of the Welsh education landscape will be invaluable as we develop our exciting and innovative improvement initiative, Schools Challenge Cymru. "Mel has worked as a local education authority inspector and lecturer at the University of Cambridge and has worked successfully with a number of regions and schools in Wales to drive improvements in standards and performance. He is currently Professor of Education and co-director of the Centre for Equity in Education at Manchester University.