Felicity Wikeley

Changes in preference for and perceptions of relative importance of subjects during a period of educational reform

Summary This research formed phase 1 of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) project ‘Pupils’ Approaches to Subject Option Choices’ and is a near repeat of a project carried out in the mid-1980s, thus allowing for a comparison of approaches to subject choice a decade apart, comparing the situation pre- and post-National Curriculum implementation. The simple two-part questionnaire, completed by 1600 children in 11 schools, shows the differences across time and between-school differences in subject preference, but little instability in perceptions of subject importance. Some useful additional data, giving students reasons for liking subjects and finding subjects important, were obtained from interviews in four schools which formed phase 2 of the project. Comparisons are drawn with the data collected in 1984 on a similar basis. Issues of concern are highlighted with respect to particular subjects and to students’ stated reasons for liking subjects or finding them important, with regard to how thi...

Effective School Improvement: English Case Studies

This article compares 2 programmes in their roles played in stimulating effective school improvement. These programmes are the Local Education Authority (LEA-school district) in Birmingham and the university-inspired project “The Improving the Quality of education for All” (IQEA). The aims and characteristics of both programmes and the national accountability context within which these programmes function are described. Ten primary and secondary schools which are assisted by these programmes were visited during 1 day to compile a picture of each schools improvement journey and the key influences and constraints upon its progress. Emerging factors that appear to promote and discourage the capacity to change are described.

Evaluating effective school improvement: Case studies of programmes in eight european countries and their contribution to the effective school improvement model

This article describes the empirical research that contributed to the development of the model of “effective school improvement”. The focus is mainly on the findings of that research but the problematic nature of designing a methodology that is applicable in 8 very different education systems is also discussed. The 4 key factors to emerge from the research were the importance of context, the role of external changes agents, the importance of internal change agency, and the complexity of the relationship between all the factors and influences. These factors and their contribution to the emerging ESI model are discussed in relation to the theoretical reflections reported in the previous article.

Educational Relationships and Their Impact on Poverty.

This paper explores the premise that children in poverty are disadvantaged in their potential to learn by the extent and quality of their social networks and educational relationships. The research examines the quality and sustainability of educational relationships between children and adults in out‐of‐school activities. We build a theoretical argument to suggest that children with a greater number of successful, formal and informal educational relationships stand a better chance of success in terms of on‐going learning and rewarding employment. The study probes how children act as agents in developing and maintaining educational relationships with adults and the constraints on the use of their own agency in negotiating more formal educational settings. It explores educational relationships out of school and compares and contrasts the educational relationships experienced by children in poverty with a matched sample of those in more affluent circumstances. In doing so, it illuminates the nature and scope of educational relationships in supporting children’s engagement with learning; identify perceived gaps in their experiences and capture their explanations of the cause. Learning how to develop and sustain relationships, how to work with others, make use of, and build on other’s expertise are vital in improving life chances and these are the skills much demanded by employers. This research contributes to the understanding of the relationships that support the learning of children in poverty and of the barriers that obstruct their development in school.

Developing a Common Model? Comparing Effective School Improvement Across European Countries

Applicability of research models across contexts is often viewed as desirable. This article discusses 6 issues faced by members of the Effective School Improvement (ESI) project research teams as they explored themes emerging in case studies carried out in 8 different countries, as part of a process of trying to generate a model that would be valid and applicable across contexts. After posing questions that need further resolution, the conclusion at this particular stage of the research was that caution was advisable before transferring the findings from one context to another.

‘Nothing to do’: The impact of poverty on pupils' learning identities within out‐of‐school activities

This article reports the findings of a project funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which explored the participation of children in out‐of‐school recreational activities. The experiences of children living in poverty were compared and contrasted with their more affluent peers. The aim of the project was to explore these out‐of‐school activities as sites of learning and to identify the impact of the childrens experiences on the development of individual ‘learning identities’. Through in‐depth interviews with 55 children it was concluded that there were substantial differences in levels of participation and in the learning gained from these activities by two different groups of children, and stages in the development of their different dispositions towards the activities were shown. Attempts to identify the roles occupied by the children within a community of practice led the authors to question the extent to which the terms ‘core’ and ‘periphery’ can adequately account for the activity within such a ...

Effective school improvement: An introduction

In the opening address of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) annual meeting held in 1995 in the Dutch town of Leeuwarden, Professor Bert Creemers focused his speech on the necessity of bringing together the theoretical tradition of School Effectiveness with the more practical tradition of School Improvement. This proposal represented a step forward in the philosophy of the ICSEI itself which, 5 years earlier, in Jerusalem, decided that the Congress should combine, in its own name, the concepts of Improvement and Effectiveness in order to support collaboration between both disciplines. At the beginning of the 1990s, voices began to be heard denouncing the fact that, despite having comparable objectives, people working in both effectiveness and improvement were ignoring each other, even though those working in both traditions needed each other (Reynolds, Hopkins, & Stoll, 1993). It appeared that the separation of the two paradigms was due exclusively to a mutual lack of understanding and trust, as well as futile academic disputes, although Creemers and Reezigt (1997) added a note of caution by defending the differences between both movements, claiming that they went much deeper, and were associated with the very essence of both disciplines. But, the last decade has been marked by repeated announcements of the emergence of a new discipline bringing the two approaches together (e.g., Hopkins, 1995; Mortimore, 1992; Reynolds, 1993; Reynolds et al., 1996; Robertson & Sammons, 1997; Stoll & Fink, 1996; Thrupp, 1999). When considering the key issues addressed in both fields, it is surprising that collaboration had not been more successful, but whilst School Effectiveness has been concerned about identifying the elements that make some schools achieve their goals, School Improvement has placed its emphasis clearly on promoting change in schools

Educational relationships in out-of-school-time activities: are children in poverty missing out again?

Poverty may be the major obstacle to positive life chances in the UK. Ennals and Murphy (2005) suggest that escape from the poverty trap is more likely for those who remain in education after the age of 16. However, school life may bring problems for children from low income families, with learning assuming a lower priority than social acceptance (Ridge, 2005). This article argues that young people in poverty are also less likely to participate in other learning activities. The nature of learning in out-of-school-time settings is explored and the distinctive features of the educational relationships that underpin out-of-school-time learning are discussed. We conclude that children from disadvantaged backgrounds who have acquired an understanding of educational relationships are more likely to develop positive attitudes to learning. Strategies to redress the added disadvantage that non-participation in leisure activities creates for young people in low income families are suggested.

Every Child Should Have One: What It Means to Be a Learning Guide.

This article discusses the relationship between the newly identified learning guide and personal learning. It draws on recent research that has critically examined the role of the personal tutor in secondary schools and colleges. The similarity in the two roles is discussed, and findings that may assist learning guides to have the impact envisioned by policy-makers are highlighted. The quality of personal tutoring is dependent on the educational relationship that is created between the tutor (or learning guide) and the individual learner. Educational relationships need to provide a cordial and encouraging interchange that identifies and considers strategies for learning, criteria for success and an understanding of critical self-assessment. We suggest that an effective learning guide engages in a dialogue which focuses on personal goals, motivational factors and steps for achievement. A positive climate in personal learning sessions is characterized by challenging but realistic expectations and targets. Feedback to students should be clear and specific and stress strategies for improvement.

Personal learning planning: can tutoring improve pupils' learning?

This article explores the impact of a Personal Learning Planning (PLP) initiative on pupils’ understanding of, and confidence in, learning. The cornerstone of the initiative was a one–to–one, or small group, discussion between Year 9 students and their class tutor. This resulted in a written personal learning plan. The benefits and weaknesses of the initiative are discussed and the interrelationships between action planning, one–to–one tutoring and learning are explored.