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

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an accelerated model, and some pupils start higher level courses such as AS levels in Year11, this can create difficulties as AS levels often require greater time allocations than GCSEexaminations. In addition this may also create additional timetabling challenges at KeyStage 5.® One means of creating sufficient time to teach full AS Level courses in Year 11 is forseveral subjects to be accelerated with early entry to GCSE examinations in Year 10. Thisdoes however create additional timetabling demands. There are constraints on how manyinnovations and forms of flexibility may be simultaneously accommodated within a schooltimetable.® Schools need to consider how more flexible arrangements at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4affect the ability of pupils to transfer between teaching groups. Transfer may be particularlydifficult where pupils progress through these Key Stages at different speeds (pupils may, forexample, be unable to join higher sets that have already undertaken GCSE coursework).® Schools need to carefully consider which pupils are likely to benefit from early entry toGCSE (and other qualifications); a concern raised by parents at one school with previousexperience of early entry was that pupils might obtain lower grades than would otherwise bethe case. Also, although teachers believed higher attaining groups benefited from anaccelerated Key Stage 3, some felt not all pupils were sufficiently mature to cope with thedemands of an early start to GCSE courses.® Allowing departments to decide whether or not to provide shortened Key Stage 3 coursescan reduce staffroom dissension. However, if fewer departments participate, this means thatthe degree of flexibility is reduced.® While an enrichment model increases the time available for curricular enrichment, the morewidely adopted accelerated model of implementation was reported, at several schools, tohave reduced the opportunity for curricular enrichment.The lessons for other schools were however perhaps best expressed by one senior teacher, when askedif a two year Key Stage 3 should be recommended to other schools:Only if it was very clear what outcomes were wanted. You have to know what you want at KeyStage 4. It is not a way of masking weakness in teaching and learning… You also have to workout how you are going to be successful. If you are secure you can experiment and innovate. Youneed to be able to deal with failures as well as successes - and in this context the ethos of theschool and the support of senior management are important.8. CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONSThe Two Year Key Stage 3 Project is important, not merely in its own right, but also because of itsimplications for the personalisation of learning. The White Paper ‘Higher Standards, Better Schools forAll’ (DfES, 2005) defines this as ‘a tailored education’ (p. 50) and examples of tailored educationinclude ‘a rich, flexible and accessible curriculum and, for older pupils, one that allows them to mixacademic and vocational learning’ (p. 50). One key aim of the Two Year Key Stage 3 Project was toopen up curricular flexibility; the Project gave schools a great deal of freedom to innovate in Key Stage3 and the schools used that freedom in a wide variety of ways.45
Most commonly the freedom was used to accelerate pupils through Key Stage 3 and make an early starton Key Stage 4 studies. From the point of view of policy, the most significant finding is that ashortened Key Stage 3 is associated with an increased pace of learning as measured by the Year 7 andYear 8 QCA Optional Tests.Schools varied substantially in how they used the time saved as a result of a Two Year Key Stage 3.The enrichment and foundation models offered relatively simple models for schools to implement withthe time saved deployed within Key Stage 3.For schools operating an accelerated model, the use of saved time raised a number of issues. First, manyschools planned for pupils to take GCSEs early; this was seen as a way of motivating pupils. However,early entry is not necessarily perceived by parents to be in the best interests of their children as theirchances of obtaining a high grade when entered at this stage may be reduced. Second, many of thevariants of a Two Year Key Stage 3 present challenges for timetabling; this needs to be carefullyconsidered at the planning and implementation stage and will be important with increased flexibilityand personalisation of learning. Third, opportunities for pupils to transfer between teaching groupsposes challenges and needs to be considered with care, given that individual pupils progress at differentrates.In conclusion, the Two Year Key Stage 3 Project provided schools with an opportunity to innovate andprovide curricular flexibility. Pupils’ progress in mathematics during Key Stage 3 was veryencouraging. More generally, there are implications for education policy, particularly in view of theincreasing focus on the personalisation of learning.REFERENCESDfES (2002) Secondary schools curriculum and staffing survey, London: DfESDfES (2004) A condensed Key Stage 3: designing a flexible curriculum, London: DfESDfES (2005) Higher standards: better schools for all, London: DfESHM Treasury (2004) 2004 Spending Review - Stability, security and opportunity for all: investing forBritain’s long-term future. New Public Spending Plans 2005-2008, London: HM TreasuryTomlinson, M. (2004) 14-19 curriculum and qualifications reform. Final report of the working groupchaired by Mike Tomlinson, London: DfESACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe authors would like to thank Ian Schagen from NFER for his assistance with the statistical analysiscontained in this report. Thanks to Dave Hereward from NFER for liaising with participating schoolsand collecting data. Thanks also to Hazel Pennell for assistance with fieldwork. We would also like tothank all those interviewed for the evaluation for their candour and also school staff for their support indata collection. The views expressed in the report are those of the authors alone.46
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 and 16: Figure 2 - Percentage of Project sc
Page 17 and 18: The analysis of Key Stage 3 results
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: However, as a colleague noted, even
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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