Overview

last updated:June 2009

Why is the issue important?
Almost all schools place pupils in groups or sets for some of the time, either in certain subjects or in certain year groups. Pupils placed in low attaining groups are by definition those who are perceived to be doing less well than the average. This research provides evidence and challenge to schools on two issues. Firstly how and why certain pupils are put in low attaining groups and secondly what strategies best motivate and inspire pupils in low attaining groups to learn.

What did the research find out?
The study found that pupils are placed in low attaining groups partly as a result of their prior attainment.  But there are other factors, including socio-economic background, special educational needs, ethnic background and students’ behaviour and attitude to learning are also strong predictors of allocation to a low ability group.

Schools used a huge range of practices in the way they organised their sets/groups. Where schools were successful it was when these arrangements were well planned and coordinated, and where teaching staff were involved in and supportive of the grouping system used.

With regard to classroom practice and school management, the study concluded that schools working successfully with low attaining groups were employing strategies which encouraged participation, motivation and engagement.

How was this achieved?
In this RfT, some specific areas of successful practice were identified, including:

• well targeted extra classroom support, especially coordinated and planned use of Teaching Assistants and mentoring
• strong teacher-pupil relations, especially through use of praise, strong boundaries and reward
• tailored teaching techniques such as providing more scaffolding for learning, more incremental teaching, slower paced lessons and varied questioning techniques, and
  building vocational learning into the curriculum at Key Stage 4, and
• involving people outside of school in pupil learning.

How was the research designed to be trustworthy?
The research was rigorous and included a large sample. 168 primary and secondary schools from 12 local authorities returned detailed questionnaires on their practice regarding grouping and setting of pupils. Thirteen schools which demonstrated success with low attaining pupils through high value added scores were looked at in much more detail. Lesson observations, staff and pupil interviews were used to identify successful practice in these case study schools.

What are the implications?
The review showed the importance of:

• schools having a clear rationale for how and why pupils are placed in low attaining groups
• making use of specific strategies at classroom level to best motivate and engage low attaining groups of pupils
• strategic planning and management of resources and the development of a school ethos to support all pupils in their learning

What do the case studies illustrate?
The case studies show, for example, how:

• an ‘assertive mentoring’ scheme helped turn around some low attaining pupils
• the relationship between teacher and Teaching Assistant is of critical importance to supporting low attaining groups
• a structured model which improved student responsibility and involvement in class made a difference, and
• a school listened to the views of pupils in low attaining groups