Primary school teachers matter for learning, but may have little impact on attendance
The findings from new research suggest that there are strong teacher effects on attainment in maths and reading at primary, but not necessarily on attendance.
When early promise meets socio-economic barriers: what the data say about initially high-achieving pupils from poor backgrounds
We explore how many disadvantaged children who shine in primary school go on to convert that promise into strong GCSEs, A-levels and selective university entry.
Why one word can break your research – and why AI won’t help. A cautionary tale from PISA
We look at how one small change in wording to just one PISA survey question has big implications for anyone using PISA to understand unexcused absences from school.
Why designing the Year 8 diagnostic maths test might be harder than you think
We explore the technical and design challenges of creating genuinely useful diagnostic tests.
Why does England lose so many promising young mathematicians from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds?
A look at the leaky pipeline for pupils who show potential in maths at age eleven but don't go on to pursue the subject.
School absences, exclusions and crime amongst high-achieving children from disadvantaged backgrounds
Highlights from new research into high-achieving children from disadvantaged backgrounds, focusing on school absences, exclusions and cautions/sentences from the police.
The rise of teenage girls feeling unsafe at school
We look at data from the TIMSS study that shows a sharp rise in the proportion of young people who don’t feel safe at school.
Is attending a grammar school bad for your mental health?
We explore new evidence that suggests attending a grammar school isn’t independently related to increased risk of mental ill-health.
The socio-economic gap in teenage motherhood
We use data from ECHILD to look at how likely high-achieving young women are to become teenage mothers.