House of Commons - Education and Skills

Select Committee on Education and Skills Written Evidence

Memorandum submitted by the National Union of Teachers

1. The National Union of Teachers welcomes the opportunity to make a contribution to the Education and Skills Committee's Enquiry into pupil achievement. This submission is divided into two parts. The first explores generic issues; the second examines the factors impacting on the achievement of minority ethnic pupils.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE NATIONAL LITERACY AND NUMERACY STRATEGIES AND THE HMCI REPORT FOR PUPIL ACHIEVEMENT

2. It is essential that the development of the Secondary Strategy reflects and builds upon the lessons learnt from the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies (NLNS) in the primary sector. The evaluations of the NLNS by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, led by Professor Michael Fullan, identify particular issues which, although relating ostensibly to Key Stage 2, are equally applicable to Key Stage 3.

3. "Watching and Learning 3: The Final Report of the External Evaluation of England's National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies" notes two key concerns regarding the way that tests and targets are used in connection with the NLNS; a concentration on teaching pupils how to take the tests, rather than on teaching the curriculum and a redistribution of curriculum time away from non-tested subjects towards tested subjects:

"When stakes are high, teachers and headteachers may put undue effort into attempts to raise scores, giving less attention to important components not tapped by the measure."

Such dangers would be equally applicable to the Secondary Strategy.

4. Michael Fullan also suggests that the high public profile of the Key Stage 2 targets meant that the Strategies were judged on their success in meeting this one criterion, although "their success and impact cannot be fully assessed by a single measure". The report goes on to say:

"We see some evidence that the high political profile of the 2002 national targets skewed efforts in the direction of activities that would lead to increases in the one highly publicised score. Many teachers acknowledge that they `teach to the test' in Key Stage 2."

5. This is a strong indictment of the Government's current target-setting policies from one of the world's leading experts on school improvement. The dangers highlighted by Michael Fullan will increase in severity if the 2004 targets for Key Stage 3 are implemented nationally, sub-divided on an LEA basis and then transmitted to schools.

6. These dangers are echoed by findings reported in "The Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools 2001-02" that at Key Stage 1 and 2 "the gulf between what pupils achieve in the core subjects and in the rest of the curriculum remains a concern" (paragraph 21) and that the introduction of the Secondary Strategy has had a "mixed and sometimes slight effect on attainment in the foundation subjects" although there are "promising signs" of its impact on the core subjects (paragraph 113). Fullan's evaluation of the NLNS shows that teachers agree with these findings, as significant numbers were unconvinced that pupils were performing at a higher level as a result of the NLNS. Of even greater concern, given the focus of the Select Committee's investigation, is that less than half of teachers felt that the NLNS had helped engage unmotivated pupils.

7. The latter finding may, at least in part, be linked to the narrowing of the curriculum experienced by pupils. As HMCI's Annual Report also notes

"There is still a high incidence of non-compliance with curriculum requirements. At Key Stage 3 only seven out of every ten schools fully comply with requirements."

8. Based on the experience of the primary sector, the lack of a broad and balanced curriculum in many schools at the present time is likely to continue and to become even more widespread if the Secondary Strategy is judged purely on the national targets for the end of Key Stage 3 tests, with potentially disastrous consequences for the motivation of a significant number of Key Stage 3 pupils who are currently displaying disaffection with school.

9. As stated above, the introduction of the Secondary Strategy together with much greater attention to the national targets set for the end of Key Stage 3 tests could combine to create a similar situation to that described by Fullan, where the Key Stage 3 curriculum and pedagogy are narrowed in order to meet external targets. To combat such adverse effects, Fullan recommends that:

"Continuing to set ever higher Key Stage 2 national targets may create difficulties; imposing what schools and LEAs see as unrealistically high targets may undermine the credibility of the target-setting exercise and lead to cynicism among educators, decreasing rather than increasing their efforts to improve. We suggest that a shift in emphasis to what might be termed `consolidation targets' could stimulate headteachers and teachers to maintain improvements to date and to address issues identified as challenges to their schools. Such a shift would assume slower rates of overall increases in pupil achievement but stress the need for consolidation and maintenance of gains already made."

10. The NUT would commend this analysis to Government and would urge that schools should be allowed to implement the Secondary Strategy in such a way as to ensure that significant and lasting improvement is made, for the benefit of pupils, rather than to meet arbitrary national targets.

11. Whilst the introduction of the NLNS has contributed to improved pupil performance, it should not be expected that improvement would occur in all schools at the same rate. As Fullan comments in relation to Key Stage 2, in schools in challenging circumstances:

"Improvements in teaching alone cannot be expected to compensate for a combination of obstacles to success."

12. It is essential that the impact of schools' contexts is taken into account when assessing the efficacy of the Secondary Strategy.

13. Fullan also stresses that it is essential for teacher capacity to be increased through professional development in order for teaching to go beyond the mere adoption of prescribed structure and format of the NLNS. The report notes that

"Many teachers appear to be better at the technical aspects of implementing both Strategies than they are at accurately diagnosing and responding to individual differences in pupil understanding."

14. The NUT shares Fullan's view that schools' capacity to implement the NLNS effectively is linked to the extent to which institutions are "learning communities", where teachers work together collaboratively and take more collective responsibility for self-evaluation. The NUT believes that the increased emphasis on school self-evaluation within the revised Ofsted Section 10 Framework for inspecting schools could provide useful support to secondary schools in engaging staff in the process of implementation and in ensuring that it is embedded within schools' practices, by offering opportunities for teachers to have real ownership of the Secondary Strategy, rather than perceiving it as something imposed by Government and having little to do with the needs of individual pupils in their classes.

15. The NUT welcomes the comments made by HMCI in the Commentary of the "Annual Report of HMCI 2000-01":

"the constraining factor in further improvement of school self-evaluation is a shortfall in non-teaching time for those involved."

16. It is important that Government takes such considerations into account when launching national initiatives such as the Secondary Strategy, as it is vital that all schools are resourced sufficiently to enable such important developmental work to take place, both prior to implementation and on an on-going basis, to inform schools' monitoring and evaluation of the initiative.

17. The NUT would suggest that its own proposals for school self-evaluation, based on the work commissioned from Professor John MacBeath, would have much to offer in terms of supporting effectively the implementation and embedding of the Secondary Strategy. MacBeath's report "Schools Speak for Themselves" illustrated how the systematic gathering of information about life and learning in schools could impact significantly on school improvement efforts and emphasised the need for accountability and self-improvement to be seen as two strands of the one inter-related strategy.

18. Fundamental to MacBeath's approach is that self-evaluation must be at the centre of identifying individual and whole school professional development needs. This is particularly relevant for the success of the Secondary Strategy. Whilst its introduction has provided teaching resources and initial training for teachers, Fullan's findings show that extended learning opportunities for teachers are required if they are to develop a thorough understanding of the Strategy which will enable them to meet the needs of all groups of pupils within school and that the "cascade" approach to training, which has been taken for both the NLNS and the Secondary Strategy, is not enough to provide this. "The Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools 2001-02" suggests that this is currently an issue for many Key Stage 3 teachers:

"One of the challenges facing the lead teachers in each strand is to disseminate the ideas and approaches encountered on training courses to other colleagues." (paragraph 116)

19. Deficiencies in the professional development available to Key Stage 3 teachers which will enable them to make judgements about how they should implement the Strategy appropriately to meet the needs of their pupils is compounded by the current recruitment and retention difficulties experienced in many secondary schools. As HMCI's Annual Report reveals, considerable numbers of teachers are teaching outside their specialisms and "Teachers recruited from overseas are often less effective because they lack familiarity with the National Curriculum." (paragraph 110) This is already having an adverse effect on the implementation of the Secondary Strategy: "Staffing problems, mainly affecting English and mathematics, sometimes limit the effect of the strategy." (paragraph 114) The introduction of a major national initiative cannot be treated in isolation from serious concerns relating to those with responsibility for implementing it.

PERFORMANCE TABLES

20. School performance tables are inherently flawed and achieve nothing in the resolution of any problems which schools face. They penalise successful and unsuccessful schools alike and paint an inaccurate picture of each school's achievements. It is the NUT's view that performance tables are likely to lead parents and students making judgements about institutions on criteria which are, at best, too narrow and, at worst, can mislead.

21. The Government's increased focus on a target of five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent performance has led to the neglect of achievements at grade D-G at GCSE (or its equivalent) and in other qualifications, such as the Certificate of Achievement. Such achievements represent a significant achievement on the part of individual pupils and their teachers. The NUT maintains that a government genuinely committed to raising standards in schools and building genuine partnerships between parents and teachers should abolish league tables. The Government's continued commitment to them derives not from a concern for parents or standards, but an ideological attachment to a market mode of education.

22. The introduction of value-added measures in school performance tables has the potential to identify the achievement gain in schools. The limitations of value-added, however, should not be ignored. Value-added does not take account of circumstances over which teachers do not have control. Research commissioned by the NUT, referred to below, identified a number of those factors. A further factor has a powerful influence; that of pupil mobility. Value-added measures cannot take such circumstances into account and the application of such measures do not make the inaccuracy of school performance tables any more acceptable.

23. School performance tables can destroy the corporate confidence of schools corporately, particularly those that have contributed enormously to their pupils' achievements but will still find themselves at the bottom of the table through circumstances outside their control.

BACKGROUND FACTORS

24. In March 1999, the NUT commissioned a literature review[7], examining the influence of background factors on school performances. All the evidence demonstrated that school outcomes were influenced by a range of factors.

Gender differences in performance vary by age group and curriculum subjects; gender differences are a powerful factor, but unpredictable. Schools or year groups with more girls than boys would be advantaged and this raises questions about ensuring an appropriate social mix within schools.

Social background—"The social background of the child, designated by the neighbourhood in which the child lives, is one of the most significant influences on test scores". The evidence was overwhelming, concluding that the nature of each school's pupil intake influences each pupil's achievement, the overall performance of a class of pupils or year group and the performance of each school.

Age difference—The age position within a class was of primary importance in assessment outcomes. Pupils in any one year group can almost have a year's difference in their ages, yet they are all assessed at the same point in time.

Pre-School Experience—both nursery and playgroups have a positive effect on children's later performance in school. Different social groups of parents used pre-school provision differently and this may have had an effect on pupil achievement.

Special Educational Needs—special educational needs, along with free school meals, were the most important factors affecting reading scores. It is hard to compare pupil achievement measured against their prior attainment in mainstream schools where there are large numbers of pupils on the school-based stages of the SEN Code of Practice.

Class Size—the report concluded that more research was needed on class size effects but the current study showed positive effects on pupil achievement where class size was smaller.

FINDINGS OF PISA 2000 IN "STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLAND"

25. Internationally, the evidence is stacked against the tiered approach to secondary education, urged by the Government. OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (2000)[8] found that "the more differentiated and selective an education system is, the larger are the typical performance differences between students from more and less advantaged backgrounds" (Improving Both Quality and Equality: Insights from PISA 2000—OECD 2002). In other words, applied to England, this finding means that the intention of a tiered system—that of achieving equality of access to high quality education—achieves precisely the opposite of that which is intended. Tiered systems lead to inequality of access.

26. The main findings from this research are set out below:

— there was a correlation between high performance and student engagement in reading;

— a strong learning climate and good student/teacher relations contributed to high performance. PISA said little about the role of summative assessment;

— a high degree of autonomy for schools, matched by a low degree of organisational variation between schools, contributed to high performance and high social equity. Countries with greater freedom to decide on the curriculum in their learning environments generally achieved high levels of performance; and

— some countries had non-selective systems; others, stratified systems. Where countries had systems which were highly stratified, they achieve lower performance because such symptoms tended to encourage social clustering. Although there was no guarantee that comprehensive systems prevented social clustering, such systems worked against this development. Levels of support provided to individual students were also a key factor in determining levels of performance.

TESTS AND TARGETS

27. Pupils in England are among the most tested and reported on in the world. A child could take up to 105 tests over the course of their school career. In Northern Ireland, school performance tables have been abolished, and in Wales, their publication has been limited to older pupils, while tests for seven year-olds are to be abolished. The NUT believes that what works for other parts of the country must be right for schools in England.

28. Teachers have been consistently concerned about the effect of National Curriculum tests on the curriculum. The current domination of the curriculum by these tests has limited the amount of time schools have been able to devote to other areas of the curriculum and has reduced cross-curricular and curriculum enrichment activities in many schools, as well as restricting the time available for pupils' pastoral care and social development. It has also squeezed equal opportunities work in schools and makes the teaching of citizenship and PSHE difficult, despite the Government's keenness on these areas.

29. Teachers now spend much more time preparing pupils for tests than teaching them how to respond to the teaching situation. For parents too, there is pressure to focus on core subject tests results at the expense of valuing all of the achievements of their children.

30. The NUT believes emphatically that targets for schools which have underpinned Government policy in education in recent years are a crude and ineffective instrument with which to drive up educational standards.

31. The NUT would draw the attention of the Select Committee to the NUT's research which focused on the impact of the National Curriculum tests, national targets and performance tables (National Curriculum Tests: A Survey analysed for the National Union of Teachers', by Dr S R St J Neill of the Institute of Education, University of Warwick—October 2002)[9]. This provided overwhelming evidence of the detrimental effects of the tests on the Curriculum, teacher workload and the morale of pupils and teachers.

32. The NUT also has deep concerns about the targeting by Government of school resources on particular groups of pupils in order to move pupils across the borderline of Government targets, thereby reducing the resources and support available to pupils at other National Curriculum levels.

33. The NUT has repeatedly drawn the Government's attention to the dangers of setting national targets for test results. No evidence has ever been given on the capacity of schools to achieve such targets. Some schools may find themselves in the absurd position of having to achieve impossible targets of 100% level 4s in Maths and English in order to compensate for schools with high numbers of pupils from socially deprived backgrounds.

34. The NUT would draw the Select Committee's attention to the Assessment Reform Group's research paper (2002) "Testing Motivation and Learning"[10] which found that after the introduction of a National Curriculum test in England, low achieving pupils had lower self-esteem than higher achieving pupils. Before the tests were introduced, there was no correlation between self-esteem and achievement. Although no cause and effect can be claimed here, an impact can be inferred since self-esteem is an outcome of educational experience as well as being a factor determining pupil learning, put simply "one impact of the test was the reduction in self-esteem of those pupils who did not achieve well".

SCHOOL ORGANISATION—MIXED ABILITY TEACHING

35. The promotion by the Government of one form of classroom organisation at the expense of others is a symptom of the political intervention suffered by schools. The NUT believes that it would be educationally unsound to impose any predetermined grouping model on schools.

36. Neither the Government nor its agencies should seek to undermine the decisions which schools make, based on their professional judgement, and routed in the specific knowledge which they have about their own pupils. The organisation of classes and groups should be "fit for the purpose" as decided by each institution.

37. Research undertaken by Hallam and Toutounji (1996—Institute of Education)[11] has shown that lower ability groups in schools tend to include a disproportionate number of pupils of low socio-economic status, ethnic minorities, boys and summer born pupils. Schools can choose a variety of options by adopting different procedures for different subjects. The authors recommended that any organisation of groupings in schools should be based on a system of curriculum flexibility and fairness—"a return to a national system of selection and structured grouping is, in the long term, no more likely to succeed in the UK now than it did earlier in this century".

38. Mixed ability approaches are used by secondary and middle schools for Year 7 pupils and throughout Key Stages 3 and 4 for particular subjects. In short, practice in this area is mixed according to the needs of pupils in the curriculum. Schools already "focus on what works" and utilise "flexible thinking".

39. The NUT urges the Government to cease making recommendations on classroom organisation, while it should make available to schools research on innovative practice in schools and professional development resources which enable teachers to serve such practice.

CLASS SIZES

40. Resources should be set aside for establishing smaller classes across the education system. Research undertaken by Professional Maurice Galton, Dr Linda Hargreaves and Dr Anthony Pell (October 1996)[12] revealed that in smaller classes more time is spent on intellectual tasks; more interaction takes place between teachers and pupils; there is more effective questioning of pupils; more feedback on work; less time spent on routine supervision; less time spent exercising classroom control; and less time spent on administrative tasks.

41. The report concluded that small classes impacted on learning and teaching in terms of improved achievement in the quality of pupil learning. The case for smaller classes rests on the premise that in order for children to undertake more complex intellectual tasks, such as developing and testing hypotheses in science, or undertaking a piece of creative writing, skills cannot be taught to direct instruction of the kind mostly found in whole classroom teaching.

A TIERED SYSTEM

42. The NUT would ask the Select Committee to note the Economic and Social Research Council's projects (ESRC), "A Home International Comparison of Education and Training Systems in the UK", which involved comparing educational attainment in England and Scotland[13]. Comprehensive education was introduced wholeheartedly in Scotland for all 12-18 year-olds, all schools having a sixth-form and all schools having equal status. There are no single sex schools and there is no selection. In England, however, differences in status between schools remain.

43. This research project revealed that there was a high level of parental support for comprehensive schools in Scotland. The Government had tried to introduce opting out with the introduction of Grant Maintained status, but only one school had been persuaded to follow such a route. The research project examined outcomes for young people. It showed that Scotland had comparatively high levels of attainment within a fully comprehensive system. The research studied differences in attainment by social class. The gap in attainment was smaller in Scotland and Wales than for England.

44. Social segregation had an impact on attainment. Where there was a good social mix, the attainment of all students was higher on average, with a bigger gap between the highest and lowest performance in England than in Scotland and Wales. An examination of entry into higher education in the UK, for 1998-99, revealed that there was 47% participation in higher education in Scotland. In 1965, 70% of students in Scotland left school with no form of qualifications, but this had been reduced by 17% by 1998. The research project seemed to indicate that this was an indication of increasing inclusiveness of Scottish education.

45. The NUT has maintained consistently that, although schools do make a difference in even the most challenging circumstances (a testament to the profession's dedication and expertise), teachers and schools alone cannot address all the problems of urban schools. The quality of life in these areas has a direct impact on the education prospects of children. Whilst one in three of British children live in poverty ("Poverty and Social Exclusion in Britain", Joseph Rowntree Foundation (September 1999))[14], there will always be barriers to children achieving their true potential. Any proposed initiatives which challenge disadvantaged urban communities must also take into account the economic regeneration of these areas.

46. Disadvantaged children, by definition, are more likely to live in poor environments, in poor quality housing and in greater proximity to crime and drugs. Such children tend to be physically weaker and have less energy for learning, as well as being more likely to be emotionally upset. They are less likely to have opportunities for study or educational help at home. The cumulative effect of these disadvantages will work against children's development as school learners. Mortimer and Whitty's "Can School Improvement Overcome the Effects of Disadvantage?" (1997) provides such evidence.[15]

47. The evidence from the PISA report does not support the "ladder" of schools or tiered system proposed by the Prime Minister. It appears, however, that the current Secretary of State is cautiously taking steps to begin to dismantle some aspects of the tiered system. His emphasis on collaboration is welcome. He must take his logic forward, however. All secondary schools deserve the funding and opportunities that only some now receive. The development of specialisms should not exclude young people's entry to the schools in their communities.

MINORITY ETHNIC PUPIL ACHIEVEMENT

Introduction

48. It is important to the set the debate about the achievement of minority ethnic pupils in context. Not all minority ethnic groups achieve below the national average. Research[16] has shown that pupils of Indian and Chinese origin appear to be out-performing their white peers. While pupils of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and African—Caribbean heritage achieve below the national average it is important that the debate is one about raising educational attainment not just about educational "failure" and "underachievement".

49. It is important also to realise that there is no uniform pattern of achievement throughout the country. There are considerable local variations and differences. The research "Mapping Race, Class and Gender" undertaken by David Gillborn and Heidi Safia Mirza found that for each of the main ethnic groups studied there is at least one LEA where that group is the highest attaining.[17] The evidence shows that all pupils in all minority ethnic groups can achieve given the right support and educational environment.

Bangladeshi and Pakistani Pupils

50. The performance of Bangladeshi pupils in the early years of schooling remains depressed. Research by Ofsted indicates that Bangladeshi pupil's underachievement is greatest at the end of Key Stage 1.[18] By the end of Key Stage 2 the research showed that there had been a marked improvement in achievement with Bangladeshi pupils still below, but much closer to the national average. It does not appear that the rising level of attainment continues through school to narrow the gap at GCSE's. Research from the Runnymede Trust[19] indicates that Bangladeshi pupils are now the lowest achieving ethnic group, along with Pakistani pupils, when it comes to the attainment of five or more GCSE A*-C grades.

51. The achievement of Pakistani pupils is similar to the experience of Bangladeshi pupils. Again attainment is low at Key Stage 1 and although evidence shows that the performance gap narrows when it comes to GCSE's, Pakistani pupils still achieve well below the national average. Figures from the Runnymede Trust based on GCSE results in 2000 indicate that only 29% of Pakistani and Bangladeshi pupils achieve five A*-C grades.

Black African-Caribbean pupils

52. The experience and factors affecting the success of Black African-Caribbean pupils is different to that of Pakistani and Bangladeshi pupils.

53. It is evident from analysis of performance data that African Caribbean pupils make a sound start in primary schools.[20] Research has shown that Black pupils start school with high achievement levels with three year old black children performing at or above the national average. This evidence of the achievement of young black students is important in disputing the argument that home backgrounds and a lack of parental interest in education accounts for the underachievement of black pupils.

54. At each Key Stage the achievement of black pupils drops comparative to other minority ethnic groups. The research by Gillborn and Mirza found that in one LEA African-Caribbean pupils entered compulsory schooling as the highest achieving group but leave as the group least likely to attain five high grade GCSE's.

55. It is also worth noting that research indicates there to be different levels of attainment between Black African and Black Caribbean students. Pupils of Black African background often achieve relatively higher results than their peers of Black Caribbean origin. It is likely that the difference between the two ethnic groups is caused by the fact that Caribbean young men appear to be achieving considerably below their potential.[21]

Traveller pupils

56. Traveller pupils are the group most at risk in the education system. Although some make a reasonably promising start in primary school, by the time they reach secondary level their generally low attainment is a matter of serious concern. Access to schooling is also a particular issue for Traveller pupils.

57. In the report "Raising the attainment of minority ethnic pupils" Ofsted found that a majority of Traveller children were on the SEN register. In one primary school 74% of Traveller children were on the register and in one secondary school the figure was as high as 80%. Alarmingly, in half of the schools in the Ofsted study no Traveller student had yet sat for a GCSE.

Minority ethnic pupils in mainly white schools

58. There should be a focus on the needs of minority ethnic pupils in mainly white schools. Pupils in these schools can often feel isolated, and schools and teachers may not always have experience of working with pupils from different ethnic backgrounds. Research carried out has shown that in mainly white schools the differing levels of attainment between ethnic groups is less marked at GCSE level.[22] The research stated that "children from minority ethnic backgrounds shared in whatever educational advantages were available in these schools to the same degree as children from a White background in secondary school but not in primary school." There are clearly some differing issues affecting the educational success of pupils in schools with differing intakes. This may however, be related to class and deprivation.

English as an additional language

59. Approximately 9.3% (over 632,000) of all pupils in schools in England are recorded as having English as an additional language[23].

60. There is evidence that fluency in English is an important factor when considering the educational performance of Pakistani and Bangladeshi pupils. Ofsted stated that "there is a strong correlation between proficiency in English and overall attainment"[24] for Bangladeshi pupils. Similarly, other research[25] has shown that minority ethnic groups who are under-performing are much more likely to be relatively new learners to English compared to higher performing students.

61. Having English as an Additional Language should not be an impenetrable barrier to attainment. Research has shown that the majority of British Asians speak a non-European language.[26] The high number of Indian children with a non-European language has not inhibited their success which is now outstripping that of white students. The research by T. Modood et al in 1997 found that in some Asian communities there had been a decline in the use of community languages between adults and children: "about a third of Indians, African Asians and Pakistanis usually spoke to younger family members in English . . . The Bangladeshis were the only South Asian group not to have experienced a linguistic decline".[27] The fact that there is a considerable gap between Indian and Pakistani students at GCSE while both groups have experienced a similar increase in the use of English at home would indicate that language is not the sole factor affecting educational performance. Although, it is the case that students whose families have recently arrived in the UK need additional English language help.

Attendance rates

62. There have been concerns expressed about the attendance rates of Bangladeshi and Pakistani pupils. Ofsted in its study of schools found that: "There is considerable concern about `extended holidays' taken by Bangladeshi, Pakistani and, to a much lesser extent Black Caribbean families."[28] Many schools have innovative projects to work with parents to avoid long extended breaks during school time and some schools provide distance learning packs.

63. Long periods of absence from school will affect the educational success of pupils. One LEA has calculated that time out of school should be doubled in terms of the curriculum learning lost.

64. The attendance of Traveller Children is regularly followed up by the Traveller Education Service. Research has illustrated that schools with a number of Traveller children find attendance rates to be a problem.[29] Two common concerns are the retention of pupils, especially boys, beyond year 9 and the absence of pupils at critical points such as the sitting of National Curriculum Tests.[30] As a result of the location of many Traveller sites public transport is not possible and parents are fearful of their children's safety if left to go to school unaccompanied. Because of these factors many Traveller Education Services have found that providing taxis to Traveller pupils is an effective way of ensuring high attendance. Research by Bhopal et al found that: "The provision of transport from home provides a daily structure and routine which is a further help, and reassurance to parents."[31]

65. The NUT believes that schools should be provided with the resources to ensure that they are able to monitor attendance rates by ethnicity. By monitoring attendance rates by ethnicity schools will be able to see where problems exist and develop the appropriate strategies.

Exclusions

66. The disproportionately high exclusion rates of some minority ethnic groups are a cause of grave concern. There is evidence from Ofsted, the DfES, the CRE and the Audit Commission that African-Caribbean pupils are disproportionately excluded from school—this is especially the case for boys. Research has shown that African Caribbean pupils are between three and six times more likely to be excluded than whites of the same sex: a pattern that is true for boys and girls in both primary and secondary schools.[32]

67. The high rate of minority ethnic students excluded from schools is a factor contributing to the educational under-attainment of pupils from these groups. While the ability to exclude a violent or unruly pupil should be open to teachers there needs to be a greater emphasis on support and behaviour management training for teachers.

68. Schools do not always monitor exclusions by ethnicity. The NUT believes that teachers need more training for working in multi-ethnic schools. The section on training in this submission explores this issue further. The NUT also believes that support must be available for both teachers and pupils which meets their respective needs.

69. The NUT believes that where exclusion is necessary, provision for pupils outside school need to be improved.

70. Research has revealed that children in local authority care were also more likely to be excluded from school and that 75% of these children have no qualification on leaving school.[33] As children in care are disproportionately from minority ethnic backgrounds, specific targeted strategies are required to deal with the issues arising.

Curriculum

71. Research has found that a curriculum which is relevant and interesting to minority ethnic children can increase their interest in education and contribute to increasing attainment.[34]

72. Minority ethnic pupils should be able to feel a sense of identity within the lessons they receive. The cultural, linguistic and social experiences of their families and communities should be reflected within the curriculum. Such an approach would enable them to contribute actively to their own learning. This issue needs a specific focus by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

73. The report "Working Towards Inclusive Education: Aspects of Good Practice for Gypsy Traveller Pupils" found that: "The curriculum needs to be culturally inclusive and affirmative of Gypsy Traveller pupils if successful learning is to take place."[35] There are multiple pay offs to a school addressing and embracing aspects of minority ethnic culture in its curriculum. Firstly, it creates a welcoming and friendly environment for pupils. Secondly, it helps to break down the stereotypes and impressions of other students towards students who may be different which can reduce bullying and racism within the school environment. Thirdly, it ensures that parents feel that the school is reaching out to and is being inclusive of their community.

74. The NUT believes that greater flexibility for teachers within the curriculum will ensure that schools can more adequately address the needs of the community in which the school is based. Including more minority ethnic figures in the curriculum will raise the interest of students and their parents. Ofsted found that one primary school sought to tackle Black underachievement by focusing on the culture of these children through the history curriculum. The school found "the response of all the pupils was enthusiastic" and that "the progress and behaviour of the black pupils improved". Ofsted stated that: "When parent's cultures are recognised by the school, their interest and involvement in the curriculum often increase dramatically."[36] This view is echoed by the NUT.

75. Teachers need greater help and support in order to deliver a curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils in the school and this is an issue which needs to be addressed by Government and relevant agencies.

Teacher training and professional development

76. It is vital that all teachers receive the training needed to meet the needs of their pupils. The latest annual survey of newly qualified teachers carried out by the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) found that many newly qualified teachers felt that there had not been enough focus in their initial teacher training on how to teach effectively in a diverse classroom.

77. There should be a greater focus in initial teacher training on equal opportunities and how to teach successfully in a diverse classroom. Improved training will give many teachers greater confidence and an ability to more fully meet the needs of minority ethnic students. Initial teacher training provision and standards should cover explicitly working in multi-ethnic and multi-racial schools and emphasise the need for teachers to provide leadership on issues around racial harassment and the handling of such situations. Race equality should become a major focus of teacher training.

78. Newly qualified teachers are entitled to expect, and benefit from, a comprehensive programme of support in their induction period. Many newly qualified teachers will work in challenging environments and need support and help with the range of new challenges they are faced with.

79. Training for teachers on Behaviour Management should include elements which deal with students from minority ethnic groups, particularly issues surrounding the exclusion of black pupils.

80. The NUT believes that the Traveller Education Service's play an important role in providing effective INSET training for schools and this needs to be strengthened.

81. Raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils is the responsibility of every teacher and every school. In order to fulfil this responsibility teachers need professional development and training in order to update and enhance their knowledge and skills, and also to increase their confidence in meeting the needs of minority ethnic pupils.

Leadership in schools

82. Effective leadership in schools is an important factor in raising the achievement of all pupils. Schools with effective leadership are able to put in place strategies and mechanisms that deal with underperformance. High performing senior management teams are also able to support all teachers within the school and ensure that EMAG teachers aren't marginalised. Leaders in effective schools are also able to make the most effective and productive use of specialist staff through creative deployment of resources (for example, EMAG and the Vulnerable Children Grant).

83. Research has shown that headteachers play an important role in ensuring that the school combats racism and discrimination and that the school is inclusive to all minority ethnic groups.[37] Ensuring a learning environment in which all students regardless of their race can flourish is crucial. While most schools now have Equal Opportunity Policies it is important that effective implementation of these policies is carried out and that policies and rules are disseminated to staff, pupils and parents.

84. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act also placed a duty on schools to promote race equality. The role of the headteacher in taking forward the Race Relations (Amendment) Act to promote meaningful change within the school is crucial.

85. The National College for School Leadership (NCSL) has an important role to play in providing school leaders with the skills to raise the achievement of minority ethnic pupils. The NCSL should aim to increase the number of minority ethnic teachers in senior management and have a specific focus on preparing all school leaders for increasing minority ethnic achievement. The NCSL could achieve these objectives through the content and delivery of the NPQH, LPSH and HEADLAMP. Research carried out for the London Leadership Centre would support this point. Their research found that:

"The National Standards for Headteachers on which the NPQH is based could contribute more to the national agenda for inclusive schools and cohesive communities if more emphasis were placed on equality issues, especially race equality. Revision of the standards would enable headteachers to identify and fulfil the new statutory obligations being placed on schools and set a framework for more rigorous equality monitoring and accountability."[38]

The importance of Local Education Authority action

86. LEAs are also responsible for the attainment of minority ethnic pupils. The LEA should provide support and guidance for schools in the development of plans, strategies and initiatives to raise the attainment of minority ethnic pupils.

87. The NUT believes that LEAs also have an important role to play in ensuring that professional development opportunities are available for teachers. There are considerable differences between LEAs in the amount of professional development opportunities available to specialist staff involved in raising the attainment of the minority ethnic pupils.[39]

Role of School Governors

88. School governors also have an important role to play in raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils.

89. School governors should be representative of the diversity of the community and parents. Consistent action, including targeted publicity, needs to be undertaken by the DfES to help schools recruit school governors from minority ethnic communities.

90. School governors should also play a role in monitoring the data collected by the school in order to comply with the Race Relations (Amendment) Act. Data can be used as an effective management tool and the governors in the school have a role to play in assisting the headteacher in this role.

91. The NUT believes that greater equal opportunities training should be provided for school governors.

A representative workforce

92. The NUT considers it is important that minority ethnic pupils are able to see minority ethnic people as role models at all levels within the education service. Currently minority ethnic staff are severely under represented in the teaching profession. Whilst welcoming the efforts made by the TTA to remedy the situation, the NUT is concerned that the TTA's strategy is having little effect.

93. There is a need to address the under representation of minority ethnic teachers in middle and senior school management. There are positive action measures that can be taken such as the "Equal Access to Promotion" professional development course run jointly between the NUT and the NCSL. Further work needs to be undertaken by Government and other agencies in this area.

Funding arrangements

94. Schools need to be resourced sufficiently if they are to fulfil their responsibilities to minority ethnic pupils and meet their specific educational needs. The EMAG and separate grant for Traveller children through the "Vulnerable Children" Grant is an important instrument in raising the attainment of minority ethnic pupils. The NUT is disappointed that the Government this year has lowered its contribution to the EMAG from 52% to 50%. From analysis carried out by the NUT there is a £15,198,576 shortfall in the EMAG this year.

95. The NUT has long argued that a national funding mechanism to meet the specific educational needs of minority ethnic pupils should be coherent and adequate to meet the range of needs, provide stability of staffing and provision in the long term and be targeted according to need, distributed on the basis of nationally agreed criteria. Further, it should be based on an assessment of the actual costs of a national statement of provision, be as simple and transparent as possible, be applicable to all relevant schools (including schools where minority ethnic pupils are in small numbers and relatively isolated) and ensure accountability to minority ethnic communities.

96. The NUT has also argued that additional funding should not be devolved to schools and be held centrally by LEAs to ensure that accountability to minority ethnic communities and the funding bodies is maintained, that LEAs have the flexibility to plan and deliver specialist support to minority ethnic pupils and their schools across the areas that they serve, including peripatetic provision and that the funding is used for the purpose for which it is intended. In addition, the professional expertise of specialist staff in the context of larger projects and teams should be maintained and there should be an equitable distribution of funding across qualifying schools.

97. The NUT is deeply concerned that there have been several severe disruptions for staff employed through EMAG and previously under Section 11. The NUT believes that the uncertainty around specific funding to meet the additional needs of minority ethnic pupils should be resolved once and for all. As Ofsted has stated previously:

"The EMAG has served to exacerbate, rather then resolve, the problems signalled in the 1999 Ofsted report in relation to the recruitment and training of staff. Attracting and retaining good quality staff under a regime which currently requires annual submissions present serious difficulties. Career opportunities remain limited, the percentage of temporary contracts has increased and good quality specialist training for EMAG-funded teachers has dwindled. Unless these issues are addressed the good quality work at LEA and school level, largely sustained in the change from Section 11, will suffer."[40]

The NUT concurs with these comments.

7 Shorrocks-Taylor, Factors Affecting Children's Achievements : A Review of some of the Recent Literature: 1999. Back

8 PISA, Knowledge and Skills for Life -First Results from PISA 2000 (OECD). Back

9 Neill S.R.St.J, National Curriculum Tests, The University of Warwick, 2002. Back

10 Harlen and Deakin-Crick, Testing, Motivation and Learning, Bristol University, 2002. Back

11 Hall and Toutounji, What do we know About the Grouping of pupils by Ability?, Institute of Education, 1996. Back

12 Galton, Hargreaves, Pell, Class Size, Teaching and Pupil Achievement, Leicester University, 1996. Back

13 (ESRC), A Home International Comparison of Education and Training Systems in the UK, 2002. Back

14 Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Poverty and Social Exclusion in Britain, 1999. Back

15 Mortimer and Whitty, Can School Improvement Overcome the Effects of Disadvantage?, 1977. Back

16 Tikly et al, Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant: Analysis of LEA Action Plans, DfES, 2002. Back

17 Gillborn and Mirza, Mapping Race, Class And Gender, Educational Inequality, 2000. Back