Evaluation of the Two Year Key Stage 3 Project - Communities and ...

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4. ATTAINMENT ANALYSISOur examination of attainment, which focuses on Phase 1 Project schools only, includes analysis ofperformance in the QCA Year 7 and Year 8 Optional Tests in mathematics and English, and also ofKey Stage 3 test results for mathematics, English and science.Specifically for this evaluation, Phase 1 Project schools were asked for pupils following condensedprogrammes of study in mathematics and/or in English to take the QCA Year 7 and Year 8 OptionalTests in those subjects. All pupils at Phase 1 Comparison schools were also asked to take these tests. 9The Year 7 Optional Tests are suitable for pupils who achieved at least Level 4 at Key Stage 2.Consequently only these pupils were included in the analysis that follows. In the analysis, we comparedthe test scores achieved by pupils at Phase 1 Project schools with those of pupils at Phase 1 Comparisonschools. The attainment measures relating to the Optional Tests comprised the total test score inmathematics, score in the mental mathematics test paper, total score in English and scores in the readingand in the writing elements of the English test.The Year 8 Optional Test in mathematics was provided in two tiers. The lower tier test is designed toassess pupils working in the Level 4 to Level 6 range and the higher tier version for those workingbetween Level 5 and Level 7. It was up to individual teachers to decide which tier was most appropriatefor each pupil. The attainment measures for the Year 8 Optional Test in mathematics comprised the testlevel achieved (in either tier of the test), total test score for entrants to the higher tier test and total testscore for entrants to the lower tier test. For English the attainment measures were the total score in theEnglish test and scores for the reading and writing components of the English test.Some characteristics that had been shown to be associated with progress in previous research weretaken into account in the analysis (see Annexes B and C for details). The method of analysis used wasmulti-level modelling which is a version of multiple linear regression.We also report the Key Stage 3 test results achieved by Phase 1 Project school pupils who were enteredfor the tests while in Year 8 rather than Year 9. 10 Schools were able to choose whether to enter pupilsearly for their Key Stage 3 tests and the first cohort of Project pupils able to do so, took the tests in2005. The guidance (DfES, 2004) issued to schools participating in the Project states:Pupils have only one opportunity to learn and achieve in Years 7, 8 and 9. This guidancerepeatedly stresses that any school contemplating a two-year Key Stage 3 should be confidentthat participating pupils would achieve at least the same level of success in the condensed KeyStage 3 curriculum as they would have in three years. Equally it is important for the school tohave systems in place that will enable pupils following a condensed programme in years 7 and8 to revert to a three-year programme if their learning is not on target to meet at least nationalexpectations by the end of Year 8. (Page vi)Thus schools were advised only to enter pupils for the tests if they were expected to achieve thenationally expected standard (Level 5/6). Consequently some schools entered only part of anyaccelerated cohort for the tests while others chose to postpone the entry of all pupils until Year 9. Asmall number of schools chose to enter all pupils (or more accurately all those working at theappropriate level for the Key Stage 3 tests) when in Year 8.9 The Year 7 Optional Tests were completed in June 2004 and the Year 8 Optional Tests in June 2005. The Year 8 OptionalTest papers were marked externally and for the Year 7 tests a mixture of internal and external marking was used.10 Data relating to early entrants from non-Project schools are presented in Annex G.13
The analysis of Key Stage 3 results separated pupils according to the level they achieved at Key Stage2. The levels subsequently achieved in Key Stage 3 tests by Year 8 entrants from Project schools werethen compared with results nationally. Bar charts are then presented that compare the attainment ofearly entrants to Key Stage 3 tests with the attainment of non-accelerated pupils in non-Project schools.The analysis of progress from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 does not however include the set ofbackground variables also taken into account in the analysis of the Optional Tests results. In addition,the analysis of the proportion of pupils achieving the Level 5 threshold does not take into account theclustering of pupils within schools. 114.1 Attainment in mathematicsOptional Test resultsTable 2 reports our analysis of Year 7 mathematics Optional Test total scores and shows thecoefficients for independent variables included in the final model. 12 The numbers shown in the tableindicate, when taking into account the other factors included in the model, the change in the number ofYear 7 Optional Test points achieved that was associated with a one unit change in the characteristicslisted. Thus, following a shortened mathematics course during Year 7 and Year 8 in a Phase 1 Projectschool (indicated by the variable ‘Project school’) was associated with an increase of 6.6 points in theYear 7 Optional Test in Mathematics having taken into account the other factors listed. In terms ofNational Curriculum levels, we might interpret this as an additional one to one and a half terms ofprogress.Table 2 - Estimated change in Year 7 Mathematics Optional Test score associated with a oneunit change in pupil or school characteristicsPupil or school characteristicChange in test scoreProject school 6.61Key Stage 2 mathematics score 1.39Eligible for FSM -3.67% eligible for FSM at the school -0.29Number of books in the home (6 point scale) 1.18Girl 1.17Special educational needs without a statement -4.55Taking all of these factors into account at the same time, we see that higher scores in the test wereassociated with higher prior attainment, larger numbers of books in the home and being a girl. Lowerscores were associated with being eligible for free school meals and also with higher proportions ofpupils at the school being eligible, and also for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) but withouta statement (this is, it should be noted, while also taking into account the pupil’s prior attainment).In addition, scores in the mental mathematics element of the Year 7 Optional Test were examined and,taking other factors into account, attending a Project school was associated with an additional 1.38points in the mental mathematics test.Table 3 presents the results for the test level achieved in the Year 8 mathematics Optional Tests (ineither tier of the test). In this case attainment is measured in QCA sub-levels rather than in the number11 The failure to take into account the clustering of pupils within schools means that the size of the confidence intervalsaround the proportion of pupils achieving the test threshold (in this case Level 5 in the Key Stage 3 tests) will tend to beunderestimated.12 Details of all models referred to in this section, and graphs showing effect sizes for selected models, are included in AnnexC.14
Page 1 and 2: RESEARCHEvaluation of the Two YearK
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTSEXECUTIVE SUMMARY 21. EVALU
Page 6: nationally expected level for pupil
Page 9 and 10: For schools operating an accelerate
Page 11 and 12: 2.2 Attainment and attitudesThe tim
Page 13 and 14: could follow a Year 7 and Year 8 Ke
Page 15: Figure 2 - Percentage of Project sc
Page 19 and 20: Table 4 - Proportion of pupils achi
Page 21 and 22: Figure 4 - 2005 Key Stage 3 mathema
Page 23 and 24: Table 6 - Proportion of pupils achi
Page 25 and 26: SummaryIn the case of English, when
Page 27 and 28: 4.4 Attainment summaryThe analysis
Page 29 and 30: to 8 these were in the opposite dir
Page 31 and 32: Figure 10 - Percentage of Year 7 pu
Page 33 and 34: 6. ANALYSIS OF CASE STUDY DATAAs ha
Page 35 and 36: Table 9 - Operationalisation of the
Page 37 and 38: 6.1 Overall viewsMost, though not a
Page 39 and 40: Points of interest for the higher s
Page 41 and 42: The key advantage is opening up Key
Page 43 and 44: 6.3 ProgressionNevertheless, findin
Page 45 and 46: would no longer exist. Both of the
Page 47 and 48: However, as a colleague noted, even
Page 49 and 50: Most commonly the freedom was used
Page 51 and 52: Phase 2 Project and Phase 2 Compari
Page 53 and 54: A11 - Key Stage 3 attainmentProject
Page 55 and 56: A20 - Reported number of books in t
Page 57 and 58: The variables listed below were inc
Page 59 and 60: Table C1 - Final model for Year 7 M
Page 62 and 63: Table C3 - Final model for Year 7 E
Page 64 and 65: Figure C2 - Year 7 English Optional
Page 66 and 67:
Table C8 - Final model for Year 8 m
Page 68 and 69:
Figure C4 - Year 8 mathematics high
Page 70 and 71:
Table C11 - Final model for Year 8
Page 72:
Good teachersMy teachers make sure
Page 75 and 76:
ANNEX F - CASE STUDY SUMMARIESPhoeb
Page 77 and 78:
Abbotswell SchoolThe case study vis
Page 79 and 80:
Elsiemaud SchoolThe case study visi
Page 81 and 82:
Henryson SchoolThe case study visit
Page 83 and 84:
ANNEX G - OTHER EARLY ENTRANTS TO 2
Page 85 and 86:
Table G5 - Key Stage 3 Mathematics
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