Letter to the Chairman from Diana R Johnson
MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, Department
for Children, Schools and Families
On 1 February, when Jon Coles and I gave evidence
to the Committee, we promised to write to you about the longitudinal
study referred to by Professor Deborah Eyre. I would like to apologise
that neither I nor my officials were able to answer your questions
about that research.
Following further investigation my officials
have established that the longitudinal study that Professor Eyre
referred to when giving evidence was as a series of studies and
surveys of students enrolled in the National Academy for Gifted
and Talented Youth (NAGTY)—both quantitative and qualitative—which
were undertaken on a regular basis and the data triangulated to
enable assessment of NAGTY. The outcomes were disseminated in
occasional papers, academic journal articles, and academic and
professional conferences.
I attach one of NAGTY's occasional papers which
contributed to the wider study.[9]
As you will see the study was survey based and comprised a random
sample of enrolled members of NAGTY. From the information gathered
it is clear that NAGTY did not conduct a single longitudinal study
that involved tracking the same students over a period of time.
As you know, in 2007 the National Academy for
Gifted and Talented Youth ended and the Department set up a new
Learner Academy, run by CfBT. This was designed to provide a virtual
web-based academy and to reach a much wider G&T community
including young people in primary schools. The Department decided
to focus the activity of the Learner Academy on the individual
learners themselves, rather than wider research into G&T issues
and therefore, when drawing up the contract for the Learner Academy,
DCSF colleagues did not include a research dimension. As part
of this, and given that the purpose of NAGTY's studies of learners
was to trace the impact of the Student Academy which was closing
in 2007, the Department did not ask CfBT to continue with the
studies into participants in the NAGTY programme. The Department
has however asked ACL to evaluate the impact of the CfBT Learner
Academy
My officials have contacted CfBT who have confirmed
that they did receive the final reports and occasional papers
produced by NAGTY, which they subsequently published on the YG&T
website. They cannot trace having received any raw data in relation
to NAGTY's research.
My officials are also monitoring the progression
of Gifted and Talented learners though the information they gather
from schools via the school census. The new Ofsted framework also
refers specifically to the need to evaluate how well gifted and
talented pupils progress in relation to their starting point.
As the Committee are aware, and as Jon mentioned
when he gave evidence, the Department funded ACL Consulting to
conduct an independent evaluation of NAGTY in October 2006. I
attach a copy of the evaluation report.[10]
It concluded (page 5) that:
"NAGTY did become a UK centre for international
expertise on gifted and talented education—we do not have
sufficient evidence to say that it became the centre.
The evidence does not in our view suggest that
NAGTY established itself as the key point of reference for the
English gifted and talented community. NAGTY assembled an effective
research team which, for those in the know, produced some valuable
work. The problems were that: relatively few people were "in
the know"; the research team was open to criticism for being
too close to NAGTY; and that some of the research it conducted
did not appear to be directed at the "big issues" (at
least as perceived by others) in gifted and talented education."
Jon and I also agreed to confirm the targeted
support funding allocations. As Jon explained when he gave evidence,
schools will be receiving £250 funding for each of their
gifted learners who are eligible for free school meals (FSM) or
classified as looked after children. Using the latest school census
data available, my officials will determine the number of FSM
eligible gifted learners in Year 10. It is anticipated that schools
will receive the funding, including supporting guidance, for each
of those pupils through the School Standards Fund in May 2010.
Finally, Jon and I offered the Committee a description
of the G&T identification criteria, a copy of which my policy
colleagues sent to your Clerk, Kenneth Fox, on 5 February 2010.[11]
March 2010
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