An Analysis of the Reform Practice of Weak Schools in Britain: The “Excellence in Cities” Program

“Excellence in Cities” is an educational reform initiative proposed by the British government at the turn of the century that focused on the needs for talent development in the 21st century. The entire program, from pilot to promotion, achieved remarkable results in just three years and was widely watched. This paper reviews the background, implementation process and initiatives of this program, and analyzes the achievements of the program in improving students' academic achievements and learning attitudes, and in improving school social relations. The paper then uses insights from the success of the UK program to recommend key components of such a reform for China