Andy Wiggins

Dysfunctional Effects of League Tables: A Comparison Between English and Scottish Primary Schools

League tables based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have become an important part of the management of the UK’s education system. While the performance measured by KPIs has apparently improved, concerns have been raised that they may have unintended or dysfunctional effects. This article compares English with Scottish schools. The authors found that English primary schools perceive their KPI systems (with league tables), as being significantly more dysfunctional than those of their Scottish counterparts (without tables). The article provides empirical evidence to support the many arguments that high-stakes single proxy indicators can have significant dysfunctional effects.

Project-based learning: A review of the literature

Project-based learning (PBL) is an active student-centred form of instruction which is characterised by students’ autonomy, constructive investigations, goal-setting, collaboration, communication and reflection within real-world practices. It has been explored in various contexts and in different phases of schooling, from primary to higher education. The majority of the reviewed studies were based on a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with some baseline equivalence established but no random allocation of participants to control and experimental groups, and as a result, a causal link between PBL instruction and positive student outcomes cannot be established with certainty. Modern digital technology, group processes of high quality, teachers’ ability to effectively scaffold students’ learning and provide guidance and support, the balance between didactic instruction with in-depth inquiry methods and well-aligned assessment have been identified in the literature as facilitating factors in the implementation of PBL. The article concludes with six key recommendations considered to be essential for the successful adoption of a PBL approach in the mainstream school setting.

Schools' experience of league tables should make doctors think again.

EDITOR—The BMA discussion paper Clinical Indicators (League Tables) touches on the issue of how performance indicator systems can have dysfunctional behavioural and managerial implications.1 Winston shows how this applies to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authoritys league tables of in vitro fertilisation clinics.2 Our research looks at the dysfunctional effects of league tables in education and may be relevant to some of the issues surrounding league tables in the health sector. We have recently reported a comparison between two systems, one with league tables (English primary schools) and one …

Every Child Counts: testing policy effectiveness using a randomised controlled trial, designed, conducted and reported to CONSORT standards

We report a randomised controlled trial evaluation of an intensive one-to-one numeracy programme – Numbers Count – which formed part of the previous governments numeracy policy intervention – Every Child Counts. We rigorously designed and conducted the trial to CONSORT guidelines. We used a pragmatic waiting list design to evaluate the intervention in real life settings in diverse geographical areas across England, to increase the ecological validity of the results. Children were randomly allocated within schools to either the intervention (Numbers Count in addition to normal classroom practice) or the control group (normal classroom practice alone). The primary outcome assessment was the Progress in Maths (PIM) 6 test from GL Assessment. Independent administration ensured that outcome ascertainment was undertaken blind to group allocation. The secondary outcome measure was the Sandwell test, which was not undertaken and marked blind to group allocation. At post-test the effect size (standardised mean difference between intervention and control group) on the PIM6 was d = 0.33 95% confidence intervals [0.12, 0.53], indicating strong evidence of a difference between the two groups. The effect size for the secondary outcome (Sandwell test) was d = 1.11 95% CI [0.91, 1.31]. Our results demonstrate a statistically significant effect of Numbers Count on our primary, independently marked, mathematics test. Like many trials, our study had both strengths and limitations. We feel, however, due to our a priori decision to report these in an explicit manner, as advocated by the CONSORT guidelines, that we could maximise rigour (e.g., by using blinded independent testing) and report potential problems (e.g., attrition rates). We have demonstrated that it is feasible to conduct an educational trial using the rigorous methodological techniques required by the CONSORT statement.

Sources of bias in outcome assessment in randomised controlled trials: a case study

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) can be at risk of bias. Using data from a RCT, we considered the impact of post-randomisation bias. We compared the trial primary outcome, which was administered blindly, with the secondary outcome, which was not administered blindly. From 44 schools, 522 children were randomised to receive a one-to-one maths tuition programme that was assessed using 2 outcome measures. The primary outcome measure was assessed blindly whilst the secondary outcome was delivered by the classroom teacher, and therefore this was unblinded. The effect sizes for primary and secondary outcomes were substantially different (0.33 and 1.11, respectively). Test questions that were similar between the 2 tests did not explain the difference. There was greater heterogeneity between schools for the primary outcome, compared with the secondary outcome. We conclude that, in this trial, the difference between the primary and secondary outcomes was likely to have been due to lack of blinding of testers.

The effectiveness of an intensive individual tutoring programme (Numbers Count) delivered individually or to small groups of children: a randomised controlled trial

Introduction: In this article, we present the results of two small randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the relative efficacy of a one-to-one numeracy programme, Numbers Count (NC). This intervention was developed as part of the Every Child Counts programme to specifically target the lowest achieving children at key stage 1 (KS1) mathematics. The research question focused on the relative efficacy of NC delivered either individually (as originally intended by the developers of the programme) or in an adapted version to small groups of two or three children. Design and methods: In 15 schools 75 children in year 2 identified by the schools as being eligible to receive NC were randomised to receive it individually or in pairs and in 7 schools 54 children in year 2 identified by the schools as being eligible to receive NC were randomised to receive it individually or in triplets during the school year 2009–2010. The design of the trial required five children, for the pairs sub-trial, or seven chil...