Grouping pupils and students

published:  May 2004

Selection and ability grouping are issues that can cause heated debate amongst teachers, leaders and parents, as they can hold very different opinions about which of the alternative approaches to grouping they prefer.

Those who favour streaming and setting make claims for its effectiveness in terms of pupil or student achievement; those against point to the 'unfairness’ of the system and its potentially negative effects on pupils' and students' self esteem. For this TLA research summary we looked at a detailed study of ability grouping to help practitioners consider the various effects different grouping practices have upon learners.

The study is:

Ireson, Judith and Susan Hallam. Ability grouping in education. London: Paul Chapman Publishing, 2001.

The researchers conducted two studies - one involving six primary schools and the other involving 45 secondary schools, to examine the effects of different ways of grouping pupils and students. They interviewed primary pupils, and used questionnaires with secondary students, teachers and school leaders to investigate pupils', students' and teachers' attitudes towards ability grouping, learners' self image and teachers' classroom practice. In the secondary school study, the researchers used results from national tests at age 11 and 14 to investigate the impact ability grouping had on pupil and student attainment and progress. They also examined factors that underpin school ability grouping practices, such as school values, external pressures and organisational problems.

The researchers concluded that:

'Increasing the extent of setting and banding in our schools will not provide an effective solution to the problem of underachievement…Equally, mixed ability teaching…has not provided an appropriate learning environment for all pupils to reach their full potential'.

The researchers suggested that 'a key issue is the flexibility to meet the changing needs of the learner,' at school, class, group and individual levels. Reflecting on the findings presented in this study will help practitioners group their learners in ways that best suit their particular circumstances.

About the terms used in this summary:

• The term 'ability grouping’ is in widespread use in educational literature. In this context 'ability’ is not defined and, in effect, the term refers to grouping by some measure of attainment. It encompasses a range of ways of grouping pupils and students - from strict setting by attainment to 'mixed ability’ groups.
• We use the term 'pupils' to denote primary aged children and 'students' to denote those of secondary age.
• The term 'learners' is used to denote both primary pupils and secondary students.