What is the research evidence on writing? - Department for Education

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Twenty eight per cent of pupils achieved level 5 or above, with girls outperforming boys (35 per cent compared to 22 per cent). Writing was <strong>the</strong> element with <strong>the</strong> lowest performance compared to reading, ma<strong>the</strong>matics and science (DfE, 2012b). Writing compared to reading As with Key Stage 1, additional internal DfE analys<strong>is</strong> compared <strong>the</strong> 2011 Key Stage 2 reading and writing levels of pupils. Overall, <strong>the</strong> same pattern that we saw in Key Stage 1 <strong>is</strong> repeated at Key Stage 2. The table below shows <strong>the</strong> breakdown of levels achieved by pupils in Key Stage 2 reading and <strong>the</strong>ir corresponding Key Stage 2 writing levels: Table 7 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% KS2 Reading Levels by KS2 Writing Levels A B N 3 4 5 KS2 Engl<strong>is</strong>h Reading Level Source: DfE internal analys<strong>is</strong> using NPD, 2011 KS2 Engl<strong>is</strong>h Writing Level A KS2 Engl<strong>is</strong>h Writing Level B KS2 Engl<strong>is</strong>h Writing Level N KS2 Engl<strong>is</strong>h Writing Level 3 KS2 Engl<strong>is</strong>h Writing Level 4 KS2 Engl<strong>is</strong>h Writing Level 5 Pupils achieving level B (working below <strong>the</strong> level assessed by <strong>the</strong> tests) are reported in th<strong>is</strong> way in both reading and writing. For pupils who are achieving an A (absent) or N (no test level awarded) <strong>the</strong>re <strong>is</strong> a spread of results that <strong>the</strong>y achieve in writing. There <strong>is</strong> also a spread of results from pupils achieving level 3 and above in reading levels compared to writing results. For example, out of <strong>the</strong> pupils achieving a level 4 (<strong>the</strong> expected level) in reading, 68 per cent achieve <strong>the</strong> same level in writing, with 25 per cent achieving a level 3, and 6 per cent achieving level 5 in writing. Of pupils achieving level 5 in reading, 60 per cent achieved a lower level in writing. Regarding <strong>the</strong> achievement of certain groups of pupils, fewer boys than girls are likely to perform as well in writing as <strong>the</strong>y do in reading. Pupils who have a SEN and pupils eligible for FSM are less likely to perform as well in writing as <strong>the</strong>y do in reading compared to non SEN pupils and non FSM pupils respectively. Children whose first language was ‘o<strong>the</strong>r than Engl<strong>is</strong>h’ are slightly more likely to perform as well in writing as <strong>the</strong>y do in reading compared to children whose first 37
language was Engl<strong>is</strong>h. The performance of most ethnic groups <strong>is</strong> similar for reading and writing outcomes. Key Stages 3 and 4 In October 2008, <strong>the</strong> Department (<strong>the</strong>n DCSF) announced its dec<strong>is</strong>ion to d<strong>is</strong>continue national testing at Key Stage 3 (KS3) in Engl<strong>is</strong>h, ma<strong>the</strong>matics and science for 14 year olds (i.e. externally set and marked tests). Since <strong>the</strong>n pupils have been assessed through on-going teacher assessment, with regular real-time reports to parents. End of Key Stage teacher assessments continue to be publ<strong>is</strong>hed at <strong>the</strong> national and local authority level. NC tests were publ<strong>is</strong>hed for last time for <strong>the</strong> academic year 2007/08. Writing at KS3 <strong>is</strong> part of <strong>the</strong> Engl<strong>is</strong>h assessment. Teacher assessment results for 2012 show that 84 per cent of pupils achieved level 5 or above, an increase of five percentage points since 2010 and ten percentage points since 2007. Ninety per cent of girls did so compared to 79 per cent of boys (DfE, 2012c). Key Stage 4 Writing <strong>is</strong> not assessed separately at KS4 but it <strong>is</strong> part of <strong>the</strong> Engl<strong>is</strong>h assessment, toge<strong>the</strong>r with reading, speaking and l<strong>is</strong>tening. At KS4, <strong>the</strong> latest data shows that in 2011/12 in state-funded mainstream schools in England 568,600 pupils attempted a GCSE in Engl<strong>is</strong>h, and 69 per cent of those achieved a grade A*-C. The gender gap <strong>is</strong> still evident with 76 per cent of girls getting a grade A*-C compared to 62 per cent of boys. The percentage of pupils achieving <strong>the</strong> expected level of progress in Engl<strong>is</strong>h <strong>is</strong> one of <strong>the</strong> main indicators in <strong>the</strong> GCSE tables: in 2012, <strong>the</strong> gap between <strong>the</strong> proportion of girls and boys achieving <strong>the</strong> expected level of progress in Engl<strong>is</strong>h between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 was 12 percentage points, with 75 per cent of girls achieving so compared with 63 per cent of boys. The equivalent figures for 2007/08 were 70 per cent for girls and 59 per cent for boys, which suggest a big improvement in <strong>the</strong> proportions of pupils making <strong>the</strong> expected progress and a reduction in <strong>the</strong> gender gap. For compar<strong>is</strong>on purposes, <strong>the</strong> equivalent figure for <strong>the</strong> gap in ma<strong>the</strong>matics in 2012 <strong>is</strong> 4 percentage points (DfE, 2012c). 38
Page 1 and 2: Research Report DFE-RR238 W
Page 3 and 4: Table of contents 1. Key findings .
Page 5 and 6: Sentence combining is</stro
Page 7 and 8: - Most pupils agree that writing <s
Page 9 and 10: achievement in writing is</
Page 11 and 12: - Ninety per cent of girls achieved
Page 13 and 14: achievement has the</strong
Page 15 and 16: the effect of cont
Page 17 and 18: and Year 10) made significantly bet
Page 19 and 20: eported in this se
Page 21 and 22: 5.2 Strategies for helping boys wit
Page 23 and 24: that use of some ‘technology-infl
Page 25 and 26: etter job The more I write, <strong
Page 27 and 28: The evidence sugge
Page 29 and 30: DfE (2012c): GCSE and Equivalent Re
Page 31 and 32: Tanner, E. et al (2011) Evaluation
Page 33 and 34: Pre-school attainment Children atte
Page 35 and 36: As can be seen from the</st
Page 37: level 2C and 6 per cent achieving a
Page 41 and 42: Table 10 % achieving 60% 50% 40% 30
Page 43 and 44: 10. Annex B: examples of techniques

What is the research evidence on writing? - Department for Education

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?