Sally Thomas

Differential Secondary School Effectiveness: comparing the performance of different pupil groups

Abstract This article reports the results of an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded study which focuses on the differential academic achievement of different groups of pupils. The paper describes the findings on the size and extent of school effects across 3 years (1990, 1991, 1992) for different groups of pupils (classified by gender, eligibility for free school means [FSM], ethnic group and by prior attainment). Pupils’ overall General Certificate of Secondary Education performance and their performance in selected subjects (English, English literature, French, history, mathematics and science) have been analysed using multilevel modelling, employing a total sample of 94 inner London secondary schools. A ‘value added’ approach is adopted, controlling for selected student background measures of prior attainment (at secondary transfer), gender, age, ethnicity and low income to provide statistical controls for differences between schools in the characteristics of their intakes. Differential ...

Dimensions of Secondary School Effectiveness: Comparative Analyses across Regions.

Recent UK government policy implementing new systems of evaluation and accountability have highlighted the use of performance data to inform judgements about secondary schools and stimulate school improvement. However, these developments have been informed by a relatively small number of research studies addressing the methodology of measuring school effectiveness, and often employing limited or incomplete datasets. This paper reports the findings of an Economic Social Research Council (ESRC) funded study that employs 6 extensive and detailed regional datasets (drawn from Lancashire, London, Jersey, Scotland, the Netherlands and England as a whole). The study aims to provide new evidence to assist school staff, policy-makers and academics in understanding the multi-faceted nature of school effectiveness and the need to evaluate school performance in detail. The objectives were to investigate 1) the optimal models for measuring secondary school effectiveness across a range of outcomes in the UK and abroad; 2) the extent of regional differences in the results; 3) the definition of the underlying dimension(s) of school effectiveness across different regional and policy contexts. The findings show that at least 4 dimensions of secondary school effectiveness can be defined, specifically in terms of different outcomes, pupil groups, pupil cohorts and curriculum stages. In addition regional differences appear to exist in the size and impact of school effects, and these are mirrored by differences in regional context in terms of pupil selection. In conclusion it is argued that effectiveness at different levels of the education system (e.g., individual pupils; departments; whole school; region and nationally), as well as interactions between levels, needs to be continually monitored in order to map out the boundaries of school effectiveness and how these change over time. The findings are discussed in relation to developing a value added framework for school evaluation in the UK.

Modelling patterns of improvement over time: value added trends in English secondary school performance across ten cohorts

This paper looks at underlying patterns of school effectiveness through analysing a GCSE examination data‐set over a period of ten cohorts (1993–2002) in one very large English school district. Both value added and raw score approaches were explored by employing different statistical multilevel models to examine time trends of school and pupil performance from two perspectives: consistent (linear) and inconsistent (non‐linear) school improvement. Overall, levels of measured attainment for the vast majority of the schools increased over the decade and the results indicate that one in four schools had significantly higher value added improvement trajectories (linear) than would be expected over the decade—in comparison to the average school. Those schools with a lower value added starting point in 1993 were more likely to make significant improvement. However, underlying these linear improvement trajectories it appears that only one in 16 schools managed to improve continuously for more than four years at some point over the decade in terms of value added.

Considering primary school effectiveness: an analysis of 1992 Key Stage 1 results

ABSTRACT The issue of value added measures of school effectiveness is reviewed in relation to the British governments requirements for schools to publish raw examination results. In the light of this there is an important need to investigate factors outside the control of the school (such as pupils’ achievement on entry to the school and socio‐economic status) that may have an impact on pupil attainment (at the primary level as well as secondary level) and, where appropriate, to take account of these factors in the analysis of schools’ assessment and examination results. The study reports a series of multilevel analyses of the 1992 National Curriculum assessment results for 7‐year‐olds in one large county local education authority (LEA) employing a wide variety of pupil intake factors (such as gender, first language and low family income) and school/classroom context variables (such as class size, number of class teachers, percentage disadvantage). The methodology involves evaluating an interim procedure...

Developing school evaluation methods to improve the quality of schooling in China: a pilot ‘value added’ study

This article describes the background and findings of a research project on school effectiveness and evaluation in one regional education authority in China. The study was the outcome of a China/UK academic link aiming to improve research capacity and the evaluation of educational quality in China, funded by the British Council in Beijing, on behalf of the UK Department for International Development (DFID). With reference to the Chinese context, the paper also provides an overview and critique of relevant school effectiveness and school evaluation research, as well as approaches to assessing pupils’ educational outcomes in China. In line with previous research in other country contexts, the findings of the study showed that significant differences in ‘value added’ measures of school effectiveness appear to exist between senior secondary schools in China, and also that some schools are differentially effective (i.e., more effective in one academic subject than another). Recommendations are outlined in terms of how the results could be used to enhance school self‐evaluation and the findings are also discussed in relation to the future quality in education research agenda in China.

Valuing Pupils’ Views in Scottish Schools

Pupil attitude data have frequently been utilised in school effectiveness and improvement research to examine aspects of a school’s educational processes, culture and ethos. However, a related approach is based on the belief that the views and attitudes of pupils are important outcomes of schooling in their own right, in addition to academic or vocational achievement. The rationale for this approach is that schools and teachers can have a positive influence on pupils’ attitudes in a range of important areas that are central to the overall aims of schooling. These aims encompass enhancing pupils’ capacity for lifelong and independent learning and positive attitudes to education, behaviour and self-concept as well as promoting vocational aspirations and civic values. This article addresses a sub-set of these aims, specifically in terms of pupils’ attitudes to school, the learning context, self-concept and behaviour. This article also highlights the various issues and implications raised by measuring and using pupil attitudes in Scottish schools for the purpose of school self-evaluation and illustrations are drawn from the findings of the Improving School Effectiveness project funded by SOEID. Briefly, the results showed that generally both primary and secondary pupils’ reported attitudes were more positive than negative. However, differences between schools in terms of the extent of positive (or negative) attitude outcomes were identified and these differences appear to be greater at the primary level than at the secondary level. The findings are discussed in relation to the development of approaches to school self-evaluation in the UK.

Exploring school effects across southern and eastern African school systems and in Tanzania

The Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) II data are analysed, using multilevel modelling techniques, to explore the key issues underlying the development of school effectiveness models. Differences between schools in Grade 6 pupils’ reading and mathematics achievements are examined and the percentage of variance in pupil outcomes attributable to school and country levels is estimated before and after adjusting for various factors. A wide range of explanatory factors has been investigated, such as pupil gender, age, socio‐economic status, homework, absence, grade repetition, school location, resources, leadership and community involvement. Only a minority of these factors was found to be statistically significantly related to pupil achievements. Tanzanian educational stakeholder views on the implications of the SACMEQ II analysis findings are also reported. In conclusion the findings suggest that a contextualised approach incorporating stakeholders’ views is needed to build understanding of school effectiveness in low‐income countries.

Comparing Teacher Assessment and Standard Task Results in England: The relationship between pupil characteristics and attainment

Abstract This study examines the 1992 National Curriculum assessment data from one large LEA in England in order to address the issue of equity. For comparison purposes we also present additional data obtained front the same sample of pupils on an NFER standardised word recognition test. The report focuses on the relative performance of gender, low income, linguistic, and special needs groups on a standardised reading test and the teacher (TA) and standard task (ST) performance assessments administered in 1992 to 7‐year‐olds as part of the national curriculum (NC) in England and Wales. The impact of schools and teacher effectiveness on student attainments scores is also examined and discussed. Briefly, the findings show that irrespective of the method of assessment, differences in attainment were found between most pupil groups investigated. However, importantly, only very modest evidence was found that particular methods of assessment appeared either to reduce or increase the differences in attainment an...

Understanding Differences in Academic Effectiveness: Practitioners’ Views∗

ABSTRACT As part of a large‐scale study of the ability of 94 secondary schools to promote academic achievement, case studies of six outlier schools were conducted and headteachers (principals) and their deputies were questioned about the processes of effectiveness. The analysis of their responses ‐ grouped by the performance of their school (measured by value added analyses of three years of public examination results) as effective, ineffective or mixed ‐ reveals considerable support for previously cited characteristics of effective schooling. Despite the limitations imposed by a reliance on the use of retrospective accounts, the study takes forward the field of school effectiveness in its search for generalisable findings and coherent theory.

Promoting School and Departmental Effectiveness

to make valid judgements about school performance. Increasingly, the need for ’like with like’ comparisons of school performance is being recognised. For example, OFSTED is investigating ways of incorporating such information into the Pre Inspection Context Indicator Reports prepared about individual schools to help inspectors make judgements in context. We welcome such developments because we believe that they will benefit both schools and their students. Judgements about performance will more fairly take account of important differences between schools in their intakes, and, at the same time, give schools a more accurate picture of their own performance in comparison with schools serving similar students.