Appraisal

last updated:August 2009

Robustness
The studies selected for this RfT summary report on school-level strategies that developed and implemented the curriculum in ways that engaged the more difficult to motivate students and those who were achieving significantly below their peers.The evidence was based on data from 11 studies selected from a ‘review of individual studies from systematic research reviews’ published by QCA in 2008, which used rigorous inclusion criteria. The studies were selected for their robustness and relevance in relation to curriculum development, planning and implementation. They included:

• nine evaluations; one of which was a randomised controlled trial (in which intervention strategies are randomly allocated to pupils)
• the use of pre- and/or post tests or assessments in 7 studies, and
• the construction of intervention groups and control or comparison groups that were not subject to the interventions in 7 studies.

Relevance
In many local authorities and schools there are significant numbers of children who are not engaged by the current curriculum and who are attaining at a level below their abilities. Teachers of these children are looking for approaches which help them enhance their learning. The studies found that when teachers brought the curriculum to life for their students by embracing skills, values and personal development in addition to what was taught and learnt it helped them to:

• motivate students
• challenge the most able and talented, and
• close the gap in attainment.

Applicability
The studies found evidence for the effectiveness of curriculum planning and delivery that included the six key features:

• learning that is 'context based'
• connecting the curriculum with young people’s experiences of home and community
• structured dialogue in group work and collaborative learning
• building on pupils’ existing understandings
• flexible learning across different areas of the curriculum, and
• teachers’ excellence and professional development in subject knowledge.

Writing
The studies are accessible to teachers and all have a focus on the implementation of the strategies and programmes in the schools concerned. Where appropriate they provide detailed descriptions of professional development undertaken by the teachers concerned. Overviews of the main features and findings of the study are presented, which are particularly helpful where the study authors have used statistical methods.