| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Comprehensive Schools - What Evidence ? | |
| Posted by: | Tom Pike | |
| Date/Time: | 21/02/12 20:37:00 |
| David, The original report mentioned is extracted from a much more general analysis by the OECD of the success of educational systems around the world published in 2010. It can be found here: http://www.oecd.org/document/0/0,3746,en_21571361_44315115_49623168_1_1_1_1,00.html?rssChId=201185 The features of successful national school systems, both in terms of raw performance and equity, are identified in this report as: 1. low levels of student differentiation - that is all students, regardless of their background, are offered similar opportunities to learn; socio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged students attend the same schools; and students rarely repeat grades or are transferred out of schools because of behavioural problems, low academic achievement or special learning needs. 2. high levels of school autonomy in formulating curricula but limited school choice offered to parents and students. 3. spending in education that prioritises teachers’ salaries over smaller classes. You say "Everytime I look at an OECD or similar report, I find that educational achievement in the British comprehensive school system continues to decline while other countries are improving standards year on year." The OECD PISA rankings do not split up national school performance by sector, so what you are seeing is how the UK as a whole is doing. It's countries whose school systems have adopted these three approaches that are generally moving ahead of us in the rankings. |