Choosing the Right Growth Measure State education agencies and school districts are increasingly using measures based on student test-score growth in their systems for evaluating school and teacher performance. In many cases, these systems inform high-stakes decisions such as which schools to close and which teachers to retain. Performance metrics tied directly to student test-score growth are appealing because although schools and teachers differ dramatically in their effects on student achievement, researchers have had great difficulty linking these performance differences to characteristics that are easily observed and measured. The question of how best to measure student test-score growth for the purpose of school and teacher evaluation has fueled lively debates nationwide. This study examines three competing approaches to measuring growth in student achievement. Student Growth Measures The three approaches we examine in this article represent the range of options that are available to policymakers. Conclusion
Committee calls for national campaign on adult literacy and numeracy In light of an OECD survey of 24 countries ranking England and Northern Ireland 22nd for literacy and 21st for numeracy, the Committee also calls for a more joined-up Government approach to tackling the problem, improved funding arrangements, and better assessment and support of the literacy and numeracy needs of unemployed people. The Committee found that adults struggling most at English and maths are not getting the help and support needed. While the Government pledges free training and tuition for any adult who wishes to study English and maths up to and including GCSE level, the Committee heard that adults with the most limited English and maths skills were not aware of the support available. Adrian Bailey MP, Chair of the Committee, said: "Problems with reading, writing and maths have a huge impact on people’s daily lives, including getting and keeping a job, understanding bills, forms and documents, and guiding children through education. Adrian Bailey MP, Chair: Image: iStockphoto
'Dramatic extension of Pupil Premium' may be needed to reverse entrenched inequalities While deprived pupils are more likely to reach expected attainment levels today than in the 1960s, they are still no closer to achieving the qualifications that will give them a competitive advantage in today’s labour market. Researchers have found that despite progress in closing the attainment gap, the likelihood of disadvantaged students being among the high achievers has remained “consistently low” for the past 50 years. They argue that if we are to tackle the social mobility crisis, more “drastic action” might be required, such as a “dramatic extension of the Pupil Premium”, to help disadvantaged pupils to achieve above the average. Researchers from the Institute of Education in London and the University of Surrey analysed information on the educational attainment of English children born between 1958 and 2000. The paper, Education and Intergenerational Mobility: Help or hindrance? “This has important implications.
The puzzle of UK graduates and their low-level literacy UK adults with tertiary education ranked 12th among the OECD despite the reputation of its universities Source: Alamy Not as simple as ABC: the weak literacy skills of UK graduates is mystifying The UK is ranked relatively low among the most developed nations for the literacy skills of graduates, with its performance described as “a puzzle” given the elevated reputation of its universities. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s annual Education at a Glance report, released on 9 September, this year includes a new feature: a measurement of how adults with tertiary education perform on literacy skills in each OECD nation. Andreas Schleicher, the OECD’s director for education and skills, described the measure – in which Japan, the Netherlands and Finland perform best – as offering “an important new dimension” and suggesting that “similar degrees may have a different skills value”. “But it’s a puzzle. john.morgan@tesglobal.com Click to rate 0 out of 5 stars
Russell Group record on free school meal pupils revealed On average each Russell Group university admits just 64 of the poorest young people per year, as measured by those receiving free school meals A written Parliamentary answer from David Willetts, the universities and science minister, has revealed how many state school pupils in England “with free school meals at age 15” progressed to Russell Group institutions. The answer states that for the 24 institutions now in the Russell Group, the number of free school meal pupils “in HE by age 19” was 1,580 in 2009-10 and 1,540 in 2010-11, the most recent figures available. For 2010-11, that works out at an average of 64 for each university. For the University of Cambridge the total of free school meal pupils admitted was 25 in both years, while for the University of Oxford the total was just 15 in both years, according to Mr Willetts’ answer. The Department for Education said in 2012 that 18 per cent of 4 to 15-year-old pupils in maintained schools were registered to claim free school meals.
Don’t cut translations to fund English lessons for migrants A new report from the think-tank Demos is calling for a new national strategy for the way we teach English to migrants in the UK. Its researchers point to 850,000 people in the most recent census who said they could not speak English properly. I broadly agree with the tenor of the report and its calls for wider changes in policy and funding of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). It is these that need fixing, rather than the way professionals are actually teaching English to migrants. Short-term funding Many of the report’s insights echo what informed opinion in the field, such as the National Association for Teaching English and Community Languages to Adults, the Action for ESOL campaign, and NIACE have been saying for a number of years. It highlights the damaging impact of funding cuts on ESOL provision, citing data released through a freedom of information request that found government ESOL funding had reduced 40% in the last five years. Don’t cut back from translation
Narrowing the gap: Pupil Premium and CPD This blog follows my talk given at the Westminster Briefing ‘Narrowing the Gap’ event in Leeds on Thursday 27th June, 2013. I will be delivering a similar talk at the Westminster Briefing London event on Tuesday 9th July. When narrowing the attainment gap, Sutton Trust research highlights why we should be focusing on the quality of teaching: We can see that the average student makes significantly greater progress as we improve the quality of teaching, but that this effect is magnified for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. This research clearly shows that the most important role that a school leader can play is to be a leader of teacher learning and development. But where should teachers be focusing their efforts when engaging in professional devleopment? It’s important to note that this isn’t an exhaustive list – there will be many effective (and ineffective) approaches to improving outcomes which haven’t been listed simply due to a lack of research. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Next steps
The myth about social mobility in Britain: it’s not that bad, says new report It is generally accepted by all political parties and most of the media that social mobility in the UK is low compared to other countries, and worsening over time. These “facts” appeared in the manifestos of all three major parties at the last election. This has led to the creation of a mobility tsar and the expenditure of billions of pounds of public funding. So how is it possible that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in a report out today, reports very high upward inter-generational educational mobility in the UK and a very strong link between education and subsequent earnings? Education at a Glance suggests that more of the adult population of the UK, aged 25 to 64, is educated to higher education (university graduate) level than in any other EU country. This rose from 25.68% of adults in 2000 to 40.98% in 2012. Education appears to matter. Click to enlarge Resolving the apparent contradiction The opportunity cost
EEF Blog: Is Pupil Premium ‘doomed to success’? | News & Events James Richardson Senior Analyst at the EEF on the Pupil Premium; What makes a successful education policy? According to Stanford Professor, Larry Cuban, who coined the phrase “policy churn”, successful measures are the ones that lead to real change in the classroom. As he points out, too many education policies create legislative changes that ripple the surface, making little impact on day to day practice. Ofsted’s latest report on the Pupil Premium suggests this maybe a policy that has avoided the churn bin and is making an impact improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Looking at a sample of 151 inspection reports it concludes that there is little difference between what good schools and weaker schools spend their money on. Best practice or evidence? What should school leaders learn from this report - is it just that we need good leaders and teachers to manage interventions well, or is there more to making a success of the pupil premium? Effective use of the Pupil Premium
Praise feels good, but negativity is stronger – Jacob Burak I have good news and bad news. Which would you like first? If it’s bad news, you’re in good company – that’s what most people pick. But why? Negative events affect us more than positive ones. We remember them more vividly and they play a larger role in shaping our lives. Popular now Science needs the freedom to constantly change its mind Why is it legitimate to change genders, but not ethnicity? Contagion, poison, trigger: books have always been dangerous Hundreds of scientific studies from around the world confirm our negativity bias: while a good day has no lasting effect on the following day, a bad day carries over. Daily Weekly Our gloomy bent finds its way into spoken language, with almost two thirds of English words conveying the negative side of things. We’re so attuned to negativity that it penetrates our dreams. Even brief contact with a cockroach will usually render a delicious meal inedible Other researchers applied these findings to the world of business. Explore Aeon Neuroscience
How should schools spend the pupil premium? | Teacher Network | Guardian Professional Inclusion expert Daniel Sobel explains how targeted interventions, such as buying a bike, have helped schools spend their pupil premium effectively. Photograph: Alamy. The truth is there is no simple answer to the question of how the pupil premium should be spent. Many schools have put the funding to effective use by gaining a deep understanding of their students and developing a tailored and personalised approach. In all these examples, a generic approach, such as setting up additional classes for those who need extra help, could have been justified to an Ofsted inspector but would not have addressed all the underlying issues affecting a student's work. Road bike for a year 7 pupil falling behind (£250) John's story: I was always late for the first lesson coming across town on the earliest possible bus. The hard data would have shown nothing more than a drop in John's academic performance so many schools would probably just have provided additional support. 1. 2. 3.
The thinking behind Citizen Maths | Citizen Maths Information Hub Once Citizen Maths got underway, people interested in the learning and teaching of maths started to ask us to explain our thinking. Here is Dave Pratt’s and Seb Schmoller’s overview. Who the course is for Citizen Maths is a free open online maths course for: self-motivated individuals whose level of mathematical capability is at or above NVQ Level 1, but is not yet at NVQ Level 3, and who want to improve it [Note for international readers: Level 2 is the level that 16 year old school leavers are expected to achieve. Learners will need to have use of (and know how to use) a desktop or laptop computer with a broadband internet connection. Our approach Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Free and open Citizen Maths – due to launch in September 2014 – is a course made available over the Internet without charge. Helping to tackle an otherwise insoluble problem Mathematics considerations The need for a new approach Engaging with contextualised problems Powerful ideas in action
John Dunford Consulting | Education Consultancy AE_SPRNG.pdf