A report summarized the results of a project designed to develop and test new and innovative approaches to school improvement in well-managed secondary schools facing extremely challenging circumstances (in terms of poor attainment and the need to cater for children from socio-economically deprived areas). There had been some indications of a small upward shift in value-added grades over the life of the project: but the evidence on overall effectiveness remained equivocal.
Source: John MacBeath et al., Responding to Challenging Circumstances: Evaluation of the 'Schools Facing Exceptionally Challenging Circumstances' Project, Research Report RW90, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Dec
A report examined the appropriate analytical tools and methodologies to adopt in evaluating educational initiatives, and attempted to bridge the gap between statistical and economic approaches to performance measurement.
Source: David Mayston, Educational Value Added and Programme Evaluation, Research Report RW87, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Dec
An annual survey report was published on schools' perceptions of their council's services and the services provided locally for children and young people (in England). 88 per cent of questions in the survey received a rating of satisfactory or above. The areas rated with biggest improvements were children's safety and meeting the needs of children with disabilities.
Source: National School Survey Results 2006, Audit Commission (0800 502030)
Links: Report | Audit Commission press release
Date: 2006-Dec
A report examined value-added multilevel models designed to investigate pupil progress during key stage 2, controlling for prior attainment and other background factors, for all schools in England over a three-year period (2002-2004). For all subjects, the prior attainment of pupils measured by key stage 1 assessments was an important contributor to their performance in key stage 2 assessments.
Source: Edward Melhuish et al., Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11): The Effectiveness of Primary Schools in England in Key Stage 2 for 2002, 2003 and 2004, Research Brief RBX-06, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Brief
Date: 2006-Dec
A report by a committee of MPs said that progress in literacy and numeracy attainment levels in Northern Ireland schools had been 'manifestly unsatisfactory', and the Northern Ireland Executive had failed to show sufficient leadership in addressing the situation.
Source: Improving Literacy and Numeracy in Schools (Northern Ireland), Second Report (Session 2006-07), HC 108, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Dec
Researchers reported the results of detailed observations of practice conducted in year 5 classes, and measured the variation in teachers organization and pedagogy and in pupils responses. There was significant variation in both teachers classroom practice and pupils behaviour.
Source: Pam Sammons et al., Effective Pre-school and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11): Summary Report - Variations in Teacher and Pupil Behaviours in Year 5 Classes, Research Report 817, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2006-Dec
A paper said that faith schools had only a very small effect on pupil educational progression in primary school, this effect being between zero and under 1 percentile on test scores at age 11, conditional on scores at age 7.
Source: Stephen Gibbons and Olmo Silva, Faith Primary Schools: Better Schools or Better Pupils?, DP72, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Date: 2006-Nov
The education inspectorate published its annual report for 2005-06. 9 per cent of primary schools were found to be outstanding and 49 per cent were good. 10 per cent of secondary schools were found to outstanding and 39 per cent were judged to be good. But the proportion of inadequate secondary schools, at 13 per cent, was almost twice that of primary schools, at 7 per cent.
Source: The Annual Report of Her Majesty s Chief Inspector of Schools 2005/06, HC 78, Office for Standards in Education, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | DfES press release | PAT press release | ASCL press release | NASUWT press release | LGA press release | Guardian report | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Nov
A report provided an in-depth account of the methodologies used for measuring school performance in England - both the original value-added scores and the new contextualised value-added scores.
Source: Andrew Ray, School Value Added Measures in England, Research Report RW85, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2006-Nov
A report described a new league table based on the 'geodemographic' profile of each school s pupil intake, which it said gave a fairer reflection of school performance (compared to one based solely on the type of neighbourhood in which pupils lived). The adjusted league table showed that many schools deemed to be failing were actually doing quite well, while some that were considered successful were underperforming.
Source: Richard Webber and Tim Butler, Classifying Pupils by Where They Live: How well does this predict variations in their GCSE results?, Experian (0115 968 5009)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Nov
A background paper prepared by a government think-tank examined progress in schools since the election of the Labour government in 1997.
Source: A Report on Schools: Progress in the last ten years and challenges ahead, Strategy Unit/Cabinet Office (020 7276 1881)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Nov
The education inspectorate in Scotland said that variations in the performance of Scotland's schools were 'too great'. Many were making a real difference to their schools: but most were just meeting basic requirements.
Source: Improving Scottish Education: Effectiveness of Education Authorities, HM Inspectorate of Education in Scotland (01506 600200)
Links: Report | COSLA press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Nov
A report by a committee of MPs said that there were about 1,500 'poorly performing' schools in England, with around 1 million pupils. Improving standards in poorly performing schools was a considerable challenge that would require sustained effort and collaboration by central government, the education inspectorate, local authorities, and the school community. The headteachers' union described the report as 'astoundingly inaccurate'.
Source: Improving Poorly Performing Schools in England, Fifty-ninth Report (Session 2005-06), HC 956, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 17 October 2006, National Association of Head Teachers (01444 472472)
Links: Report | NAHT press release | PAT press release | ATL press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Oct
A paper examined the impact of school choice on test-score outcomes. The findings suggested that a fall in competition between schools reduced test scores: but the estimates were not statistically significant.
Source: Simon Burgess and Helen Slater, Using Boundary Changes to Estimate the Impact of School Competition on Test Scores, Working Paper 06/158, Centre for Market and Public Organisation/University of Bristol (0117 954 6943)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2006-Oct
A survey measured public perceptions in England of education and children s services over a school year. Overall opinion was fairly evenly split in each wave of the survey (September 2005 to June 2006), in terms of proportions thinking the quality of education had got better, stayed the same, or got worse. In the final wave, respondents were more likely than in previous waves to think that it had got worse. Around a third of respondents knew about plans for Sure Start Centres in every community.
Source: EdComs, DfES Parents and Public Survey: 2005/06 Findings (4 survey waves), Research Report 84, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Oct
A survey for the education inspectorate examined parents? attitudes towards school inspection. 92 per cent of parents said they were in favour of school inspections, and 81 per cent considered shorter notice of school inspections a good idea. 82 per cent believed that it was likely that the inspection would have helped their child?s or children?s school to improve. However, only 53 per cent of parents whose child?s school had been inspected considered that the letter sent by inspectors to pupils was helpful, with 24 per cent being unaware that such a letter had been sent.
Source: Ipsos MORI, School Inspections, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release
Date: 2006-Oct
A paper said that the traditional value-added model for measuring school performance, that ignored previous mobility of pupils between schools, underestimated the importance of the school as measured by its contribution to the overall performance variance.
Source: Harvey Goldstein, Simon Burgess and Brendon McConnell, Modelling the Impact of Pupil Mobility on School Differences in Educational Achievement, Working Paper 06/156, Centre for Market and Public Organisation/University of Bristol (0117 954 6943)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2006-Oct
An article said that, in 2001, pupils at specialist schools achieved better examination results than pupils at non-specialist schools. Those attending the earlier cohorts of specialist schools performed particularly well.
Source: Philip Noden and Ian Schagen, 'The specialist schools programme: golden goose or conjuring trick?', Oxford Review of Education, Volume 32 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Sep
A report examined the robustness of the modelling techniques used by the government to identify schools which used resources effectively. Effective schools followed different approaches to meet their own particular circumstances: but there were also many common characteristics.
Source: Allan Dodd, Investigating the Effective Use of Resources in Secondary Schools, Research Report 799, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2006-Sep
A report said that 1 in 3 employers was having to send staff for remedial training to teach them basic English and maths skills they had failed to learn at school.
Source: Working On The Three Rs: Employers priorities for functional skills in maths and English, Confederation of British Industry (020 7395 8247)
Links: Report | CBI press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Aug
An article examined the relative impact on pupil performance of 'collective teacher efficacy' (the collective perception in a school that teachers make an educational difference to their pupils) and the socio-economic circumstances of pupils.
Source: Karen Parker, Elizabeth Hannah and Keith Topping, 'Collective teacher efficacy, pupil attainment and socio-economic status in primary school', Improving Schools, Volume 9 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jul
A report provided an overview of the key interim findings from an evaluation of academy schools (introduced in 2000 to turn round failing schools where previous interventions had not led to improvements). It was not possible to provide a definitive assessment of the overall success of the initiative. Overall, the evidence suggested that improvements in pupil performance in academies were better than in other schools with similar characteristics: but the absolute differences were generally small.
Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Academies Evaluation: 3rd Annual Report, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report | DfES press release | NUT press release | BBC report | Guardian report | FT report
Date: 2006-Jul
The education inspectorate said that the majority of schools were making a valuable contribution to pupils health and well-being: but mental health issues were not tackled sufficiently across the curriculum, and a minority of schools focused too little on the potential impact of drugs, smoking, and alcohol on pupils lives.
Source: Healthy Schools, Healthy Children? The contribution of education to pupils health and well-being, HMI 2563, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | Drugs Education Forum press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jul
An article said that market forces in education had widened the gap between high- and low-achieving schools with little impact on overall student achievement.
Source: Gena Merrett, 'Higher standards, better schools for all a critique: can market forces close the social and achievement gap?', Improving Schools, Volume 9 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jul
Final data were published on the national curriculum assessments at key stage 3 (age 14), and on key stage 2 to key stage 3 value-added measures, in England in 2004-05.
Source: National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Value Added Measures in England 2004/05 (Final), Statistical First Release 29/2006, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: SFR
Date: 2006-Jul
A paper examined the methodological problems involved in trying to compare the effects of selective and comprehensive schooling on pupils' performance.
Source: Alan Manning and J rn-Steffen Pischke, Comprehensive Versus Selective Schooling in England and Wales: What Do We Know?, DP66, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Date: 2006-Jul
A think-tank report said that the education inspectorate was not, as people assumed, an independent body inspecting school standards: it was the 'enforcer' for central government, making sure that every teacher in every school was following the latest (and ever-changing) fads from Whitehall.
Source: Anastasia de Waal, 'Inspection, Inspection, Inspection!' How OfSTED crushes independent schools and independent teachers, Civitas (020 7401 5470)
Links: Civitas press release
Date: 2006-Jul
Two linked reports evaluated early experiences of new arrangements for the inspection of maintained schools (implemented in September 2005). Respondents were generally positive about the new system: 9 out of 10 headteachers were content with their inspection reports, and the great majority agreed that inspectors had identified the right issues for action and provided a clear agenda for improvement.
Source: School Inspection: An Evaluation, HMI 2373, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833) | Tami McCrone, Peter Rudd, Sarah Blenkinsop and Pauline Wade, Impact of Section 5 Inspections: Maintained Schools in England, Office for Standards in Education
Links: HMI 2373 | Impact report | OFSTED press release | NASUWT press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jul
A think-tank report said that the success of the government s early years strategy would depend on addressing the failure of primary schools to sustain and capitalize on the early progress made by disadvantaged children through pre-school programmes such as Sure Start. Primary school children should be taught in ability groups and tested every eight weeks.
Source: Claudia Wood and Julie Caulier-Grice, Fade or Flourish: How primary schools can build on children s early progress, Social Market Foundation (020 7222 7060)
Links: Summary | KPMG press release | Guardian report | TES report | BBC report
Date: 2006-Jul
A study found that single-sex education seemed to make no difference to students' achievements, and that the main determinants of a school's performance were the ability and social background of the pupils.
Source: Alan Smithers and Pamela Robertson, The Paradox of Single-sex and Coeducational Schooling, Headmasters and Headmistress Conference (01858 469 059)
Links: BBC report | Observer report
Date: 2006-Jun
The education inspectorate said (following consultation) that a reduced inspection regime would be introduced for high-performing schools in September 2006. Inspections would be reduced for schools that were achieving well and where self-evaluation was good, and there was a successful track record in inspections by introducing one-day inspections usually conducted by one inspector. But schools judged to be inadequate would be served with an official "notice to improve", and would receive extra monitoring visits 6-8 months after their full inspection.
Source: Proportionate Inspection: Summary of responses to the consultation and next steps, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report | NAHT press release | NASUWT press release | NUT press release | BBC report | TES report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jun
An article examined unintended consequences of school league tables, not necessarily related to improved overall school performance - including focusing on borderline students who could boost a pivotal indicator.
Source: Deborah Wilson, Bronwyn Croxson and Adele Atkinson, 'What gets measured gets done', Policy Studies, Volume 27 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jun
The education inspectorate published a report on its work in 2005-06, and also its strategic plan for 2006-07. By April 2007 it would be renamed the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, and would take over the relevant work of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, HM Inspectorate of Court Administration, and the Adult Learning Inspectorate.
Source: Ofsted Departmental Report 2005 06, Cm 6813, Office for Standards in Education, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Ofsted Strategic Plan 2006 to 2007, HMI 2658, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report | Strategy | Guardian report
Date: 2006-May
A report examined the effects of the government?s educational policies on primary teachers? attitudes, values, and experiences, focusing on key stage 2 (up to age 11). Despite initial hostility, many teachers felt that the policies had changed their practice for the better, across the curriculum as well as in literacy and numeracy. But the report said that primary schools were over-tested, leaving insufficient room for teachers to make professional judgments.
Source: Coming Full Circle: The impact of New Labour?s education policies on primary school teachers? work, Association of Teachers and Lecturers (0845 4500 009)
Links: Summary | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-May
The education inspectorate said that almost 60 per cent of schools were judged to be outstanding or good in the first two terms of the new, shorter, inspections regime.
Source: Press release 19 May 2006, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: OFSTED press release
Date: 2006-May
A report said that specialist schools performed better than non-specialist schools on every comparison.
Source: David Jesson and David Crossley, Educational Outcomes and Value Added by Specialist Schools: 2005, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (020 7802 2300)
Links: Report | SSAT press release
Date: 2006-Apr
The government published draft guidance (to accompany the Education and Inspections Bill) covering the statutory powers and responsibilities of local authorities in relation to schools that were failing to provide an acceptable level of education to their pupils. Local authorities would be able to issue a school with a warning notice, to which the school would be required respond within 15 days. A team of managers could then be sent in to the school, and new governors appointed.
Source: Guidance on Schools Causing Concern, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Guidance | ASCL press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Apr
An article examined the 2004 value-added figures for schools, and said that they contained the same flaw as the original raw-score tables. The purported value-added scores turned out to be a proxy for the overall level of attainment in the school, and were almost entirely independent of any differential progress made by the students.
Source: Stephen Gorard, 'Value-added is of little value', Journal of Education Policy, Volume 21 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Mar
The education inspectorate said that parent satisfaction was rated as excellent, very good, or good in 88 per cent of primary schools, 77 per cent of secondary schools, and 92 per cent of special schools in England.
Source: Parents' Satisfaction with Schools, HMI 2634, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2006-Mar
The education inspectorate began consultation on plans to reduce the burden of inspection on schools that were achieving very well, in order to focus resources on schools where there was underachievement.
Source: Proportionate Inspection, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Consultation document | OFSTED press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Mar
An audit report said that attempts to improve children's literacy and numeracy in Northern Ireland had not led to any significant improvement.
Source: Improving Literacy and Numeracy in Schools, HC 953 (Session 2005-06), Northern Ireland Audit Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | NIAO press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Mar
The number of secondary schools in England where fewer than 50 per cent of children aged 14 reached the expected standard in national tests fell in 2005 from 19 per cent to 13 per cent. 7 out of 13 city academies were among the 200 state schools with the poorest performance.
Source: National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Value Added for Young People in England 2004/2005 (Revised), Statistical First Release 12/2006, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: SFR | DfES press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Mar
A new book examined how primary and secondary urban schools could be improved in a more inclusive way. It said that schools in deprived areas were being damaged by the government's desire to find "simplistic answers" to the problem of improving standards.
Source: Mel Ainscow and Mel West, Improvement in Urban Schools: Leadership and collaboration, Open University Press (01280 823388)
Links: Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Mar
A report summarized the results from a project investigating the effect of additional school resources on pupil attainment in examinations for the General Certificate of Secondary Education. It was found that marginal increases in resources improved overall GCSE attainment for all students, but particularly for students from the bottom 60 per cent of the prior achievement distribution.
Source: Andrew Jenkins, Rosalind Levacic and Anna Vignoles, Estimating the Relationship between School Resources and Pupil Attainment at GCSE, Research Report 727, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2006-Mar
A progress report on the Scottish Executive's school reform programme said that just over a year after 69 reforms were promised in the programme, more than a half had already been delivered.
Source: Ambitious, Excellent Schools: Progress Report, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SE press release
Date: 2006-Feb
The education inspectorate said that Scotland's educational system stood up well to international comparisons: but it also called for a determined drive to tackle underperformance and raise standards.
Source: Improving Scottish Education, HM Inspectorate of Education in Scotland (01506 600200)
Links: Report | SE press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Feb
A paper examined the government's record on schools, and gave an outline of the policy alternatives. Attainment at school had improved: but there were concerns about the extent to which this reflected 'teaching to the test', and why, despite impressive improvements in primary school attainment in the late 1990s, this improvement had subsequently stalled. Education expenditures had risen substantially, and there was some evidence that linked expenditure with improved pupil performance: but the size and nature of the impact of resources on schools outcomes was hotly debated.
Source: Sandra McNally, 'Education, Education, Education': The evidence on school standards, parental choice and staying on, Centre for Economic Performance/London School of Economics (020 7955 7673)
Links: Paper | LSE press release
Date: 2006-Feb
A report said that there was evidence of improved performance in specialist schools: but it was not clear whether this was due to the specialist status per se or the extra funding and drive generated by becoming a specialist school.
Source: Frances Castle and Jennifer Evans, Specialist Schools What Do We Know?, Research and Information on State Education Trust (libby.goldby@risetrust.org.uk)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Feb
A paper said that educational attainment levels in Scotland had 'flatlined' since devolution, while those in each of the other United Kingdom nations had improved, particularly England – despite the fact that levels of spending per pupil in Scotland appeared high relative to the others.
Source: Scottish Government Budget Options: Spending on School Education, Centre for Public Policy for Regions/University of Glasgow
Links: Paper | BBC report
Date: 2006-Jan
The education inspectorate in Wales highlighted improving standards in many areas of education and training, particularly when compared with the previous inspection cycle. In primary schools, 76 per cent of lessons inspected achieved the top two grades, compared with 46 per cent five years previously.
Source: Annual Report 2004-2005, HM Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales (029 2044 6446)
Links: Report | HMCIETW press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jan
An audit report said that national initiatives and local action were helping to reduce the number of failing schools in England: but more could be done to prevent poor performance in the first place, to speed up the improvement of poorly performing schools, and to support improved schools in sustaining their achievements. More frequent inspections, introduced in September 2005, could also help.
Source: Improving Poorly Performing Schools in England, HC 679 (Session 2005-06), National Audit Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | NAO press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jan
A survey found that 62 per cent of secondary school teachers considered that performance league tables had a negative effect on their well-being.
Source: Press release 19 January 2006, Teacher Support Network (020 7554 5244)
Links: TSN press release
Date: 2006-Jan
An article said that productivity in public expenditure on education had been falling since 1995, but less markedly since 2002.
Source: , 'Public service productivity: education', Economic Trends, January 2006, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article
Date: 2006-Jan
League tables were published showing the achievements of pupils taking GCSE and equivalent examinations in May 2005, at school level. (GCSE = General Certificate of Secondary Education)
Source: The 2005 Secondary School (Key Stage 4) Achievement and Attainment Tables, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jan