The impact of the pursuit of ASDANs Certificate

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The impact of the pursuit of ASDAN’s Certificate of Personal Effectiveness on GCSE attainment

The impact of the pursuit of ASDAN’s Certificate of Personal Effectiveness on GCSE attainment Neil Harrison Senior Research Fellow Bristol Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning and Education (BRILLE) University of the West of England

Policy context ‘Up-skilling’ and the rise of GCSE equivalents The recent announcement on the

Policy context ‘Up-skilling’ and the rise of GCSE equivalents The recent announcement on the removal of equivalence Policy direction evident in both the declaration of the ‘English Baccalaureate’ and the taking up of the recommendations of the Wolf Report (2011) Problematising the five GCSE threshold

Policy consequences Recommendation 1 of the Wolf Review: The Df. E should distinguish clearly

Policy consequences Recommendation 1 of the Wolf Review: The Df. E should distinguish clearly between those qualifications, both vocational and academic, which can contribute to performance indicators at Key Stage 4, and those which cannot. Unforeseen consequences of the removal of equivalence Co. PE mistakenly ‘tarred with the same brush’ as those vocational qualifications seen as surplus to requirements at KS 4?

Performance vs. learning Watkins (2010) argues that contemporary policy and schools responses give us

Performance vs. learning Watkins (2010) argues that contemporary policy and schools responses give us a disastrous emphasis on performance at the expense of a learning orientation This is a very big problem, as performance relies completely on the development of good learning orientations – in any field of endeavour

Research questions 1. Do pupils who undertake Co. PE achieve a higher grade at

Research questions 1. Do pupils who undertake Co. PE achieve a higher grade at GCSE English Language than comparable pupils who do not? 2. Are pupils who undertake Co. PE more likely to achieve five GCSE passes than comparable pupils who do not? 3. Are there any identifiable subgroups of pupils for whom the impacts above are particularly marked or absent? 4. Do pupils and staff identify relationships between Co. PE and other KS 4 study with respect to pupil engagement, attendance and motivation? 5. If so, what is the nature of experiences, perceptions, impressions and claims about such relationships?

Research method Main study: statistical analysis of National Pupil Database records for cohort completing

Research method Main study: statistical analysis of National Pupil Database records for cohort completing KS 4 in 2010, comprising over 500, 000 records Secondary study: quasi-experimental analysis of a randomised paired sample of 200 young people taking Co. PE and those not Case studies: qualitative data from four visits to schools offering Co. PE

Approach to main study (1) Statistical technique controls for eight background variables likely to

Approach to main study (1) Statistical technique controls for eight background variables likely to impact on KS 4 outcomes: Gender Special educational needs Eligibility for free school meals Neighbourhood deprivation (using IDACI) Persistent absence during KS 3 Ethnicity Having English as a secondary language

Approach to main study (2) Four main measures of KS 4 outcomes used: GCSE

Approach to main study (2) Four main measures of KS 4 outcomes used: GCSE English pass at A* to G GCSE English pass at A* to C GCSE English pass at A* or A Five GSCE passes at A* to C including English and maths, but excluding ‘equivalents’ (i. e. excluding Co. PE itself) Three categories of KS 3 attainment in English Low – below testable level, Level 3 and Level 4 Average – Level 5 High – Level 6 and Level 7

School typology ‘No Co. PE’ schools ‘Thin usage’ schools Co. PE taken by less

School typology ‘No Co. PE’ schools ‘Thin usage’ schools Co. PE taken by less than 25% of cohort Those taking Co. PE atypical of wider cohort – predominantly those with special circumstances strongly affecting study Likely to significantly underperform at KS 4 relative to KS 3 ‘Wide usage’ school Cope taken by 25% or more of cohort – mainstreamed Those taking Co. PE more typical of overall school cohort Main basis for comparisons in research report

Pass rate (%) GCSE English A* to C (1) 100 90 80 70 60

Pass rate (%) GCSE English A* to C (1) 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 98. 3 71. 4 97. 6 98. 8 73. 4 65. 8 Low KS 3 21. 5 13. 0 High KS 3 11. 5 No Co. PE school Wide usage - not taking Co. PE Average KS 3 Wide usage taking Co. PE

GCSE English A* to C (2) Chart simplifies a complex set of relationships Once

GCSE English A* to C (2) Chart simplifies a complex set of relationships Once all background variables are held constant, taking Co. PE in a ‘wide usage’ school is associated with an overall 10% increased likelihood of achieving GCSE English at A* to C However, effect mainly focused on low KS 3 attainers, those eligible for free school meals, those from BME communities and those with special educational needs

GCSE English A* to C (3) Pass rate (%) 62. 5 98. 4 100

GCSE English A* to C (3) Pass rate (%) 62. 5 98. 4 100 90 80 70 72. 7 60 10. 5 50 40 30 13. 8 20 10 0 No Co. PE school 96. 2 67. 5 99. 0 96. 5 74. 6 25. 3 20. 0 Wide usage - taking Co. PE No FSM Low KS 3 FSM - Low KS 3 No FSM Average KS 3 No FSM High KS 3

Pass rate (%) 5 GCSEs A* to C inc. E/M (1) 100 90 80

Pass rate (%) 5 GCSEs A* to C inc. E/M (1) 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 92. 2 52. 8 91. 1 89. 4 46. 7 51. 6 Low KS 3 Average KS 3 6. 7 4. 0 No Co. PE school Wide usage - not taking Co. PE 10. 1 Wide usage taking Co. PE High KS 3

5 GCSEs A* to C inc. E/M (2) Caveat about chart again! Once all

5 GCSEs A* to C inc. E/M (2) Caveat about chart again! Once all background variables are held constant, taking Co. PE in a ‘wide usage’ school is associated with an overall 5% increased likelihood of achieving five GCSEs at A* to C, including English and maths Effect mainly focused on low KS 3 attainers, those eligible for free school meals and those from BME communities NB: not all young people entered for five GCSEs

Pass rate (%) 5 GCSEs A* to C inc. E/M (3) 100 90 80

Pass rate (%) 5 GCSEs A* to C inc. E/M (3) 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 88. 5 84. 1 42. 5 92. 7 91. 4 48. 4 54. 3 5. 1 52. 310. 7 7. 2 9. 9 No Co. PE school Wide usage - taking Co. PE No FSM Low KS 3 FSM - Low KS 3 No FSM Average KS 3 No FSM High KS 3 FSM - High KS 3

Two ‘identical’ schools Not undertaking Co. PE 19 6 4 1 12 25 37

Two ‘identical’ schools Not undertaking Co. PE 19 6 4 1 12 25 37 37 56 A* A B C D E F G U Undertaking Co. PE 15 24 7 21 13 31 39 64 Overall, Co. PE is associated with an average of an extra one-fifth of a grade in GCSE English

Co. PE at the chalkface Data collected from senior managers, teachers and young people

Co. PE at the chalkface Data collected from senior managers, teachers and young people from four case study schools Spectrum of professional opinion from likelihood to certainty that Co. PE improved outcomes Wide variety of methods of implementing Co. PE within the curriculum Young people describe enjoying Co. PE lessons and how it is a positive factor in their school experience

Why does Co. PE work? Not primary focus of research Potential causal features :

Why does Co. PE work? Not primary focus of research Potential causal features : Personalised learner-centred approach The ‘Plan-Do-Review’ process Culture of achievement based on milestones Dedicated staff resources, including low staff/pupil ratio Curricular flexibility Commitment to engaging with the individual Lots of scope for future research

Summary Very strong evidence that Co. PE is associated with positive outcomes at Key

Summary Very strong evidence that Co. PE is associated with positive outcomes at Key Stage 4 Relationship is seen in both GCSE English and at the five good GCSEs threshold Relationship strongest for young people at lower ability range and with educational disadvantages Statistical analysis not capable of proving that Co. PE works, but very strong probability Plausible causal factors identified by professionals

Conclusion Removal of Co. PE from the headline measures for Key Stage 4 is

Conclusion Removal of Co. PE from the headline measures for Key Stage 4 is likely to be misguided Co. PE appears to have an extrinsic value to young people beyond itself Co. PE has an important role to play in both performance and learning orientations at Key Stage 4

The impact of the pursuit of ASDAN’s Certificate of Personal Effectiveness on GCSE attainment

The impact of the pursuit of ASDAN’s Certificate of Personal Effectiveness on GCSE attainment Neil Harrison Senior Research Fellow Bristol Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning and Education (BRILLE) University of the West of England