Skip Navigation

Reports and resources from the Chief Adviser on School Standards

The DCSF contracts a team of school standards advisers to conduct fieldwork on the various categories of underperforming pupils. The advisers have visited hundred of schools and interviewed hundreds of pupils and teachers over the past year. The investigations have led to the publication of reports in the Making Good Progress series (listed below). Forthcoming reports will be added to this section of TeacherNet.

Recent reports

  • Milton Quatercentenary: Lesson plans and Bookmark competition
    The Department has produced a short sequence of lesson plans introducing pupils in Key Stage 3 to the life, times and work of John Milton, who was born in 1608.
  • The Extra Mile Report
    This publication focuses on children whose families have been poor for generations. Families who often live in neighbourhoods characterised by high crime levels, educational underachievement, low skilled, poorly paying jobs and poor health. It looks at ways of raising the aspirations of children from deprived communities, and engaging them in their education. The publication also outlines the Government's 'Extra Mile' trial, which will run from July 2008 to the summer of 2009.
  • Getting there: Able pupils who lose momentum in English and mathematics in Key Stage 2
    This report focuses on pupils at risk of not converting a Level 3 in English and mathematics at Key Stage 1 into a Level 5 at Key Stage 2. It looks at the experience of approximately 215 pupils and shows how to identify those making slow progress in English and mathematics. It highlights some common characteristics and differences — particularly between boys and girls. The report also includes practical recommendations for schools and teachers on how to improve performance.
  • Making great progress: Schools with outstanding rates of progression in Key Stage 2
    This report highlights the key findings of a series of visits to 20 primary schools whose pupils make excellent progress. Over the last three years, more than 90 per cent of their pupils who were at national expectations (Level 2) in Key Stage 1 progressed to national expectations (Level 4) at Key Stage 2. A significant set of common characteristics have emerged from these visits which are striking because they are shared by all the schools which displayed great rates of progress. The report is intended to be a practical resource to support other schools in strengthening their work around pupil progression. 
  • Keeping up: Pupils who fall behind in Key Stage 2
    This report is about primary school children who do well up to the age of seven but then falter. The report focuses on the so-called invisible children, those who are quiet, undemanding and do not mind if they don't receive immediate attention.
  • Accelerating the progress of able pupils at Key Stage 3 in English, mathematics and science (Improving pupil progression from Level 3 to Level 5)
    This report focuses on the experiences of approximately 285 pupils in the schools visited as part of a DCSF study. Along with common characteristics it also outlines some significant differences, particularly between boys and girls. Each school was visited for up to a day by a DCSF school standards adviser. The methodology of the investigation was based on a series of detailed interviews with Year 8 and Year 9 pupils (identified by the schools as 'at risk' of not adding two levels during the key stage), the headteacher, a senior leader with responsibility for pupil tracking, Year 8 and Year 9 teachers and the relevant subject leader. Based on the research findings, the report also includes practical suggestions for schools and teachers on how they can improve the progress made by these pupils.
  • Getting back on track: Pupils who make slow progress in English, mathematics and science in Key Stage 3
    This report looks at the experiences and behaviour of pupils aged between 11 and 14. This group of children ended Key Stage 2 doing well in English, maths and science, achieving the right level for their age; but as they moved through Key Stage 3, the rate at which they progressed slowed down or stalled completely. They have now been identified by their teachers as being at risk of not achieving Level 5 (national expectations) at the end of the key stage. The report is based on interviews with hundreds of teachers and pupils in 46 schools. It identifies common characteristics of children who are making slow progress at Key Stage 3 in English, maths and science. The report offers a detailed picture of these pupils and offers practical steps that teachers and pupils can implement to improve progress.
  • Accelerating the progress of able pupils at Key Stage 3 in English, mathematics and science (Improving pupil progression from Level 5 to Level 7)
    This report focuses on the experiences of approximately 245 pupils in the schools visited as part of a DCSF study. Each school was visited for up to a day by a DCSF school standards adviser. The methodology of the investigation was based on a series of detailed interviews with Year 8 and Year 9 pupils (identified by the schools as 'at risk' of not adding two levels during the key stage), the headteacher, a senior leader with responsibility for pupil tracking, Year 8 and Year 9 teachers and the relevant subject leader. Based on these research findings, the report also includes practical suggestions for schools and teachers on how they can improve the progress made by these pupils.

Making Good Progress in Key Stage 2 resource pack
The resource pack could be used to support a series of staff meetings or a more extended session on a staff professional development day. The resource pack consists of:

  • A copy of the Teachers TV programme Personalising Progress, episode 1.
  • Ten copies of Making Good Progress in Key Stage 2 English leaflets. This is a summary leaflet of the findings from the Office's investigations in Key Stage 2 English. The leaflet also identifies some actions that can be taken to remove barriers in progress.
  • Ten copies of Making Good Progress in Key Stage 2 mathematics leaflets. This is a summary leaflet of the findings from the Office's investigations in Key Stage 2 mathematics. The leaflet also identifies some actions that can be taken to remove barriers in progress.

Making Good Progress at Key Stage 3 Resource Pack
The materials in the pack are provided to support the school's work in raising the levels of attainment of pupils in English, mathematics and science at Key Stage 3.

The resource pack consists of:

Recent Teachers TV programmes

  • Portraits of Progress — Back on Track: Key Stage 3 English
    A look at the findings of a major piece of qualitative research commissioned by the DCSF in 2006. What are the reasons for underachievement at Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 English, and what can be done to help?
  • Portraits of Progress — Back on Track: Key Stage 3 Maths
    Using a major piece of DCSF research as its basis, this programme looks at the reasons why some mathematics pupils are not achieving their potential at Key Stage 2. Why are some pupils at risk of not converting a Level 4 at Key Stage 2 into a Level 5 at Key Stage 3?
  • Personalising Progress 
     This programme looks at how the DCSF pupil progression stick people model can help schools deal with under-attainment and personalised learning. The model is tested in the programme by headteachers and staff from two different schools.


Last updated: 14 October 2008

Recently visited

Home > Reports and resources

Keep up to date...

Email to schools
Planning for flu - guidance for schools and children's services
Assessment for Learning

Registration

:

: