Search Results

There have been various 'achievement gaps' in England over the years - significant differences in school attainment by students from different socioeconomic classes, different genders and different ethnic groups. Although Basil Bernstein, a leading English sociologist of education, argued many years ago that 'education cannot compensate for society', policy makers continue to believe that education and other social policies can help to equalise school performance and life chances between different social groups. This paper describes what progress was made in narrowing the socioeconomic achievement gap in England under its New Labour government between 1997 and 2010 and assesses the research evidence about which of a whole array of national, local, institutional and 'personalised' interventions seem to have made a difference. It also discusses future prospects for closing the gap under the Coalition government of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats that was elected in England in 2010.

Published abstract. Show less

This paper considers whether subject choice at 14-16 influences post-16 transitions, taking into account prior academic attainment and school characteristics, and if so, whether this accounts for socio-economic, gender and ethnic differences in access to post-16 education. We consider post-16 progression to full time education, A Levels, and studying two or more facilitating subjects at A Level. We use 'Next Steps', a study of 16,000 people born in England in 1989-90, linked to administrative education records (the National Pupil Database).

We find that students pursuing an EBacc-eligible curriculum at 14-16 had a greater probability of progression to all post-16 educational outcomes, while the reverse was true for students taking an applied GCSE subject. There were no social class differences in the advantages of pursuing an EBacc-eligible curriculum. Curriculum differences did not explain the social class differences in post-16 progression, but an academic curriculum was equally valuable for working class as for middle-class pupils. Pursuing an EBacc-eligible curriculum particularly strongly increased the chances of girls and white young people staying in the educational pipeline, whereas applied subjects were particularly detrimental for girls. An EBacc-eligible curriculum at age 14-16 increased the chances of studying subjects preferred by Russell Group universities at A Level.

Published abstract. Show less

[The authors] show how young people's expectations about application to university change during the teenage years, drawing on the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE). [The authors] reveal the pattern of change by family background (measured by parental education and family income), prior attainment at the end of primary school (measured by Key Stage 2 tests) and, critically, the combination of the two. [The authors] document the relationship between expectations about university application and the decision on whether to stay on in full-time education at 16. [The authors] point to the importance of schools in sustaining or changing expectations. [The authors] relate the expectations reported by the teenagers in LSYPE to their actual university application decision by age 20 or 21. Expectations are high but not universally high. Family background gaps in expectations widen during the teenage years.

Abstract from publisher's website. Show less

The 2003 and 2011 Skills for Life surveys of the general adult population revealed that while the proportion of adults showing literacy skills of Level 2 standard and above had increased, the level of progress at the lower end of the scale was disappointing and numeracy skills appeared to have shown a small decline. Reform plans for the further education and skills system developed in 2011 included expanding the Skills for Life programmes to offer free courses to enable adults to improve their basic literacy and numeracy skills to English and maths GCSE/Level 2.

This report describes a randomised control trial (RCT) into the relative effectiveness of face-to-face compared to blended learning for adult English and maths learning, i.e. learning that makes significant pedagogic use of information and communications technology (ICT). The RCT was part of a government initiated programme of research into adult English and maths. Its primary aim was to assess the impact of delivery mode on skills at the time of course completion. Secondary outcomes were identified as longer-term attainment, confidence with English and maths, labour market outcomes and subjective well-being. The report describes the RCT design decisions and implementation details, and provides an assessment of how the trial worked.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

Over the past twenty years governmental efforts to promote social mobility have included widening access to higher education as a major focus. This is in an attempt to give more individuals the opportunity to benefit from the economic returns to a university degree (Walker and Zhu, 2011). Despite this, there remains a significant level of socioeconomic inequality in access to universities (Anders, 2012a; Boliver, 2013; Chowdry et al., 2013). Much of this inequality is explained by, or emerges through, differences in prior attainment at age 16.

Published abstract. Show less

This paper considers whether subject choice at 14-16 influences post-16 transitions, taking into account prior academic attainment and school characteristics, and if so, whether this accounts for socioeconomic, gender, and ethnic differences in access to post-16 education. We consider post-16 progression to full-time education, A-levels, and studying two or more facilitating subjects at A-level. We use 'Next Steps', a study of 16,000 people born in England in 1989-1990, linked to administrative education records (the National Pupil Database). We find that students pursuing an Ebacc-eligible curriculum at 14-16 had a greater probability of progression to all post-16 educational outcomes, while the reverse was true for students taking an applied GCSE subject. Curriculum differences did not explain the social class differences in post-16 progression, but an academic curriculum was equally valuable for working-class as for middle-class pupils. Pursuing an Ebacc-eligible curriculum particularly strongly increased the chances of girls and white young people staying in the educational pipeline, whereas applied subjects were particularly detrimental for girls. An Ebacc-eligible curriculum at age 14-16 increased the chances of studying subjects preferred by Russell Group universities at A-level.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

The journal issue from which this article is taken is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 131.1074. Other individual articles are available in VOCEDplus from TD/TNC 131.1075 to TD/TNC 131.1078. Show less

In 2013 the Department for Business Innovation and Skills commissioned a consortium of organisations including Kantar Public (formerly TNS BMRB), the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), Alphaplus and the Learning and Work Institute (formerly NIACE) to conduct the longitudinal survey of adult learners. The aims were to enhance understanding of learners' experiences of English and maths Skills for Life funded courses delivered by colleges and look at how learners' skills progress during their course and in the year after. The survey also explored learners' broader economic outcomes, learning journeys and soft outcomes such as confidence in day to day life. Learners were interviewed at 3 waves in their learning journey. These were: at the start of the course; soon after the course ended; and one year after the course ended. Each interview included tests developed for the study to assess learners' reading and writing or numeracy skills. Findings from these interviews are included in the documents. The technical report and local authority comparison report for this study are included.

Edited excerpts from publication and publisher's website. Show less

This study investigates the ways in which young people's movements between education and work have changed over the last 30 years. It provides information on long-term education and labour market trends affecting 16 to 24 year olds.

Abstract from publisher's website.

This set of data comprises: (1) research paper; (2) summary; (3) literature review; (4) data for the analysis of long-term time trends of school-to-work transitions (spreadsheet); and (5) data table for age groups/cohorts covered in 2009 Labour Force Survey ad hoc modules (spreadsheet). Show less

Geography remains a critical factor that shapes the development of aspirations, attainment, and choice in young people. We focus on the role of geography on university entry and aspirations due to the increasing requirement in society for a higher education qualification for access to prestigious positions in society. Using a large representative longitudinal database (N = 11,999; 50 per cent male; 27 per cent provincial or rural; two per cent Indigenous) of Australia youth we explore the association between distance to a university campus and the critical attainment outcomes of university entry and enrolment in an elite university as well as critical predictors of these outcomes in access to information resources (i.e., university outreach programs) and university aspirations. In doing so, we provide new insight into distance effects, and the extent that these are due to selection, cost, and community influence.

Our findings suggest that distance is significantly associated with both university expectations and entrance, with an especially large impact upon young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds. However, we also find little evidence that distance is related to attending a university led information session. Our conclusion is that distance effects cannot be fully explained by selection in terms of academic achievement and socioeconomic status, and that anticipatory decisions and costs are the most likely drivers of the distance effect.

Published abstract. Show less

Given the high returns to holding a degree, it is important to understand the relationship between household income and university entry in terms of the likely consequences for social mobility. This paper provides new evidence using the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England. I provide estimates of the income gradients in university participation overall and at a group of high-status institutions (the Russell Group). I also investigate the extent to which these gaps may be driven by discrimination against students from lower-income backgrounds by universities, by considering income gradients in applications. I find substantial differences in university entry overall and at Russell Group institutions between students from high- and low-income families. However, I show that most of the difference is driven by application decisions, particularly once I control for 'ability' at age 11. This suggests that universities do not discriminate against students from poorer backgrounds. Instead, those students are less likely to apply. These findings suggest that policies aimed at reducing the university participation gap at the point of entry are likely to face small rewards. More likely to be successful are policies aimed at closing the substantial applications gap, particularly by ensuring that students from poorer backgrounds have the necessary qualifications to apply.

Published abstract. Show less