This report compares the results of pupils at partially selective schools with comparable pupils at similar, non-selective schools. It may be of interest to policy makers and educators working in areas with selective schools.
The performance of partially selective schools in England
Education policy
Education research
Performance and accountability
Social mobility / closing the gap
System improvement and collaboration
UK policy
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Synopsis
This report focuses on partially selective schools: those that admit a proportion of pupils by academic ability and/or subject aptitude, and a proportion by commonly used non-selective criteria.
The authors set out to compare the results of pupils at partially selective schools with comparable pupils at similar, non-selective schools and found that there was no overall academic benefit to attending a partially selective school. They also found that pupils with high prior attainment made less progress in maths at the partially selective schools than their peers at the non-selective schools; that pupils with low prior attainment were significantly less likely to achieve five good GCSEs; and that some of the partially selective schools had overly complex admissions policies that acted as a potential additional barrier to applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The research was based on data from 38 partially selective schools in England, which were identified through a review of secondary school admissions policies.