Field, Sue

Learning Gender in Primary School Playgrounds: Findings from the Tomboy Identities Project

This paper was presented at Exeter University in 2006, as part of Seminar Four (Cultures, values, identities and power) of the ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP) Thematic Seminar Series, Contexts, communities, networks: Mobilising learners’ resources and relationships in different domains. The study followed two classes from Year 5 through to Year 6 in two contrasting primary...

05.05.10

What are extended schools and why are they needed?

This is the first chapter in a book which explores the leadership and management of extended schools. It seems apposite, therefore, that it describes and contextualises this educational development, examining its background, nature, and where it sits within the present educational landscape. Indeed, Middlewood argues that extended schools are the logical consequence of a belief that the purpose...

10.03.10

Lessons from History

This four page POSTnote, from January 2009, considers how evidence from history could contribute to policy-making. It outlines key developments in the use of evidence in policy-making, but claims that historical research is under-utilised. A number of ways forward in this are suggested.

05.03.10

The DCSF Research Conference 2010

The DCSF Research Conference 2010, The Use of Evidence in Policy Development and Delivery, took place at the QEII Conference Centre in London on 9 February. The day consisted of a series of addresses, followed by two workshop sessions, and a panel discussion in the afternoon. Carole Willis, Director of Research and Analysis at the DCSF, welcomed delegates, and spoke of the need to make decisions...

04.03.10

Equally prepared for life? How 15-year old boys and girls perform in school

This report uses data from the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to explore gender differences in educational experiences. Student background, attitudes and characteristics are all seen to influence performance. Despite the fact that girls tend to outperform boys in school, boys are more likely to go on to earn more and hold positions of political and economic power....

17.02.10

UCET 2009 Annual Conference

A report of the UCET Annual Conference 2009, with the theme "New and continuing perspectives in teacher education", which was held in Hinckley, Leicestershire on 9th and 10th November.

04.12.09

School Report Cards: Review of the use of school report cards internationally

One of the proposals within the recent white paper, 'Your child, your schools, our future: building a 21st century schools system', is the introduction of a School Report Card to measure school progress. This resource is a report of a small research project conducted by NFER into how these are used in other countries, and is intended to complement the work already undertaken in this area by the...

08.09.09

Closing the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment in school

This report by Estyn, commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government, presents findings from 2006-2008 relating to closing the gap between boys' and girls' attainment in schools. It is based on inspection reports and/or investigating schools with high GCSE results for boys and girls, data and document scrutiny, and what is described as "a review of recent research".

05.05.09

Boys’ underachievement is a problem, but it is not their fault! Current perceptions and practical strategies

This NFER Topic journal article from 2000 considers the possible underlying causes of boys’ underachievement from the perspective of a drive to close the gender gap at a school in North Lincolnshire, as part of the implementation of the Equality of Opportunity Policy. It then suggests “practical strategies which could help us move from ‘boys will be boys’ to ‘boys can succeed’”.

30.03.09

The Gender Agenda: report from the Autumn 2008 seminars

The latest round of DCSF gender agenda seminars took place during the Autumn, hosted by Kings College London, the University of Warwick and Leeds University. These days provided the opportunity for feedback from the first seminars, as well as to discuss and reflect on the implications of recent research into gender in education issues from a subject and practitioner perspective.

11.02.09

The Children's Plan: One Year On

One year after the publication of the Children's Plan, this document sets out the steps the government plans to make in 2009 to "continue to work to make sure that every child and young person gets the best start in life".

29.01.09

Curiosity Kits: The impact of non-fiction book bags on boys’ reading at home

This 2001 NFER Topic (now PRE-Online) article reports on a small-scale pilot project which was supported by the National Year of Reading (1998–99) and the UK Reading Association, as well as publishers and other businesses. This research involved placing sets of book bags (‘Curiosity Kits’) in four Year 4 classes across the country, and monitoring the home-school reading patterns of these pupils...

15.01.09

UCET 2008 Annual Conference

A report on the UCET annual conference 2008, 'Changing policy, changing practice in teacher education', which was held in Birmingham on the 7th and 8th of November.

28.11.08

White boys from low-income backgrounds: good practice in schools

This "report on a small survey of good practice" was undertaken by Ofsted in 20 schools across England, which were "identified from inspection evidence and discussion with local authorities" to be schools "where white British boys from low-income backgrounds performed better in public tests and examinations than their counterparts in other schools". These schools were mainly in areas with high...

04.11.08

How do boys and girls differ in their use of ICT?

Described as a ‘briefing’, this 6000-word paper from Becta aims to draw together research into gendered use of ICT within and outside school, in order to reach conclusions about ‘closing the gap’ in pupil attainment in this regard.

22.10.08

Grammars pressed over poor pupils

As reported on the BBC, a recently published study for the Sutton Trust into the "Evidence on the effects of selective educational systems" suggests that grammar schools are only enrolling half as many able pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds than is possible. The researchers also found, however, that 54 of the 100 most socially selective schools are faith schools, compared to 17 state grammars

16.10.08

Accelerating Girls' Progress - A Celebration Event

As part of the Gender Agenda programme of activities, this project conference took place on 26 September at the Bridge in the DCSF Sanctuary buildings. It was an opportunity for the schools who took part in the Accelerating Girls Achievement project to disseminate their research findings.

14.10.08

BERA 2008 Annual Conference

A report of the 2008 BERA Annual Conference, which took place 3-6 September at the Herriot-Watt University in Edinburgh

03.10.08

New Secondary National Curriculum Website

This foundation subjects support website has been developed by the QCA, in partnership with the subject associations and other partners, to help subject leaders to implement the new secondary curriculum.

05.09.08

2008 ESCalate conference: Innovation and Development in Initial Teacher Education

The 4th annual ESCalate conference, Innovation and Development in Initial Teacher Education, took place on 16 May. The keynote address, "Teacher Education in the UK: the peculiarities of the English - and of the Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish!", was given by Professor Ian Menter. The rest of the day consisted of a series of symposia, workshops and round table discussions.

23.05.08