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Learning to learn: improving attainment, closing the gap at Key Stage 3
Author(s) -
Mannion James,
Mercer Neil
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the curriculum journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.843
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1469-3704
pISSN - 0958-5176
DOI - 10.1080/09585176.2015.1137778
Subject(s) - closing (real estate) , cohort , key (lock) , curriculum , mathematics education , control (management) , psychology , educational attainment , pupil , medical education , pedagogy , computer science , medicine , political science , computer security , artificial intelligence , law , neuroscience
In 2010, a comprehensive secondary school in the south of England implemented a whole‐school approach to ‘learning to learn’ (L2L). Drawing on a range of evidence‐based practices, a team of teachers worked collaboratively to design and deliver a taught L2L curriculum to all students throughout Key Stage 3. In total, the first cohort of students ( n = 118) received more than 400 taught lessons throughout years 7–9. The impact of L2L on student attainment at Sea View was evaluated over those 3 years, using the pre‐L2L cohort as a matched control group ( n = 148). By the end of year 9, a significantly higher proportion of L2L students were either hitting or exceeding their target grades, compared with the control group. There was also a significant closing of the attainment gap between students eligible for the pupil premium and their peers (2%, vs. 25% in the control group). Key features of the L2L approach at Sea View are considered in terms of similarities and differences with other L2L approaches. Conclusions are drawn that the success of this approach lies in the combination of multiple effective practices. Recommendations for further research and development of the field are proposed.