Level 7 Research Project

Laura BridgeRobert Owen EBITT

Research Question

Is there a relationship between the written component of the KS2 English

scores and predicted underachievement across the

curriculum in Year 9?

Research Question

Is there a relationship between the written component of the KS2 English scores and predicted underachievement across the curriculum in Year 9?

Relevance to current educational Climate• Focus on Literacy• Specifically Writing• Across the curriculum• Year 9

Key Stage 2 Data: SATS Results

English• Uses• Recent changes• Calculations

• English• Maths

KS2 English Calculations

English Reading

Mark rangeN 0–103 11–174 18–305 31–50

English Writing

Mark rangeN 0–113 12–244 25–365 37–50

English Overall

Mark rangeN 0–192 20–223 23–424 41–67

5 70–100

+ =

29 15+ = 44

Level 4 Reading Level 3 Writing+ = Level 4English

Rate of Progress: Year 9- School x

If the pupil was working below the level of the test (B), not awarded a test level (N)(Department for education, 2012)

Predicted Progress against FFTD• At secondary level, Fischer Family Trust bases its estimates of

what pupils might be expected to achieve in GCSEs in each subject, given their test and teacher assessment performance in English, Maths and Science at Key Stage 2 and 3

(FFTD, 2013)Limitations

• Inaccuracy of tests (KS2 &3)• Changes- Review: Teacher

assessment • Why not use teacher set

Target Grade?

Positive Aspects

The achievements of pupils against these FFTD estimates are used in many teachers' performance management reviews, and in local authority judgments on school effectiveness.

(W.Mansell, TES 2008)

School Data Analysis

School Progress Data• Data trawl:

• Current year 9• English level 4 • Reading 4: writing 4• Reading 4: writing 3• Exclude SEN students from research

• 71 Students in sample• Reading 4: writing 4 =40• Reading 4: writing 3 = 31

Above At Below0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

17

67

1618

68

14

The % of students with Key Stage 2 English Level 4 which are predicted to get 'Above, At or Below'

FFTD Estimate across the curriculum in Year 9

% o

f Stu

dent

s

Above At Below0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

11

69

20

13

70

17

The % of students with Key Stage 2 English Level 4 which are predicted to get 'Above, At or Below'

Estimate in GCSE subjects in Year 9

% o

f Stu

dent

s

97%

3%

4:4

93%

7%

4:3

The % of students with Key Stage 2 English Level 4 which are predicted not to achieve their FTTD Estimate in BTEC subjects in Year 9

English Maths ICT RE Science GCSE

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

10

23

6

10

25

5

13

5

8

27

The % of students with Key Stage 2 English Level 4 which are predicted not to achieve their FTTD Es-

timate in Core subjects in Year

% o

f Stu

dent

s

Media

Child Deve

lopment

Food Tech

nology

ICT DiDA

Geography ICT

Triple Sc

ience0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

11 14

38

20

50 50

75

0 0

20

0

3025

40

The % of students with Key Stage 2 English Level 4 English which are predicted to get 'Above, At or Below'

FTTD Estimate Subjects with most significant under achievement for writing level 4

% o

f Stu

dent

s

GCS

E

Student Perception

Questionnaire

Sample: • Every year 9 student with a KS2 English

Level 4 • Sample size =71 (with SEN students

removed)

Methodology:• Reading 4, writing 3 (31)• Reading 4, writing 4 (40)

Ethical Issues/ BERA Guidelines• Active participants: • Questionnaire: • Voluntary informed consent: • Anonymity: • Right to withdraw:

Questionnaire Results

Question 1) Which of these two skills do you think you are better at? Reading or Writing

Reading Writing0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

74

26

60

40

4-3

4-4

% o

f Stu

dent

s

Question 3: Has your writing ability ever stopped you from learning/ achieving?

1- Never 2-Sometimes 3-Not Sure 4-Quite a lot 5-All the time0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

30

43

20

31

6

0

4-3 4-4

% o

f Stu

dent

s

English Maths ICT RE Science0

20

40

60

80

100

120

93

70 0 0

97

3 0 0 0

4-3

4-4

% o

f Stu

dent

sQuestion 6) Which subject do you think writing skills are most important in?

Yes No0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

30

70

23

77 4-3 4-4

% o

f Stu

dent

sQuestion 8) Are there any subjects that you think you aren’t doing well in because of writing skills?

BTEC GCSE0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

4-3 4-4

% o

f Stu

dent

sQuestion 10) Do you find writing is more difficult in your BTEC or GCSE lessons?

Yes No0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

59

41

46

54 4-3 4-4

% o

f Stu

dent

sQuestion 11) Do you find it difficult to write answers to exam questions that require full sentences/ paragraphs?

Yes No0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

4-3 4-4

% o

f Stu

dent

sQuestion 13) Do you think the school needs to help students with writing skills more?

ConclusionStudent SurveyData collected from student questionnaires would suggest students are aware of written communication impacting on their attainment• Across the 4:4 and 4:3 groups there was a call for

support in writing skills across the curriculumData Trawl:• There is evidence to suggest that there is a relationship

between KS2 writing levels and underachievement in year 9 across the curriculum

• The level of underachievement is most significant in subject areas which are not traditionally as heavily focused on written assessments

Recommendations

• Heavier focus on written work across the curriculum: particularly in subjects that demonstrated highest levels of underachievement.

• Students with Reading level 4: Writing level 3 highlighted on entry

• Additional columns to teacher data set to increase awareness

• Planning in subjects highlighted with highest level of underachievement to incorporate a heavier focus on writing skills throughout lesson planning.

Future Studies

• Relationship to behaviour• Relationship with FSM• New KS2 assessment process• Against achieved data rather than predicted• M/F• Inaccuracy of FFTD Estimates in comparison to teacher

prediction• Teacher questionnaire: level of focus on writing skills• Number of students with interventions in place