In this book the authors have conducted extensive research and describe what makes a successful school and how this varies in different countries. The book follows the progress of a cohort of 7-year-old children through their schools over a two-year period. It covers schools in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, and Ireland and:draw together what it is that the most and least effective schools do in each countrypinpoints what makes 'effective teaching' across the globeanalyses which effectiveness-producing school and teaching factors appear to be the same and which are context specificdiscusses how educational policies can be used to generate World Class Schools and which new blends of practice can, or should be usedThe existing literature based upon the comparison of the educational achievements of different countries is inadequate. This unique study provides a rich picture of the processes of the education systems of different countries which will appeal to practitioners and policy makers.