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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Primary teaching 'varies widely' | Primary teaching 'varies widely' |
| (about 22 hours later) | |
| There are wide variations in the quality of education in English primary schools, a major study has found. | There are wide variations in the quality of education in English primary schools, a major study has found. |
| Teaching and behaviour was worse in schools with pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, researchers said. | Teaching and behaviour was worse in schools with pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, researchers said. |
| The report for the DfES listed detailed observations in 125 Year 5 classes. It found most teachers followed the national literacy and maths strategies. | The report for the DfES listed detailed observations in 125 Year 5 classes. It found most teachers followed the national literacy and maths strategies. |
| However, nearly half the lessons had no "plenary" session, in which the whole class discussed what had been learnt. | However, nearly half the lessons had no "plenary" session, in which the whole class discussed what had been learnt. |
| Despite evidence of rising standards in schools, quality remained uneven, said the researchers from the universities of London, Oxford and Nottingham, working for the Department for Education and Skills. | Despite evidence of rising standards in schools, quality remained uneven, said the researchers from the universities of London, Oxford and Nottingham, working for the Department for Education and Skills. |
| Pupils in different Year 5 classes can have quite different educational experiences Their findings echo concerns from the inspectorate, Ofsted, about the gulf between the best and worst schools. | Pupils in different Year 5 classes can have quite different educational experiences Their findings echo concerns from the inspectorate, Ofsted, about the gulf between the best and worst schools. |
| "The extent of the variation indicates that pupils in different Year 5 classes can have quite different educational experiences," the report said. | "The extent of the variation indicates that pupils in different Year 5 classes can have quite different educational experiences," the report said. |
| 'Poorer environments' | 'Poorer environments' |
| Children got little feedback in a fifth of classes and 17% had very low ratings for "richness of instruction". | Children got little feedback in a fifth of classes and 17% had very low ratings for "richness of instruction". |
| Those pupils had "poorer learning environments" as a result. | Those pupils had "poorer learning environments" as a result. |
| More time was spent on whole class work (56%) than individual work (36%) and group work was uncommon (9%) although other research has suggested it can have benefits. | More time was spent on whole class work (56%) than individual work (36%) and group work was uncommon (9%) although other research has suggested it can have benefits. |
| A plenary session is recommended in the national teaching strategies but was observed in only a third of classes in both literacy and numeracy. | A plenary session is recommended in the national teaching strategies but was observed in only a third of classes in both literacy and numeracy. |
| In about a quarter of them it was not seen in either subject. | In about a quarter of them it was not seen in either subject. |
| The quality of teaching was "significantly higher" where a plenary was used and was lowest where it was absent. | The quality of teaching was "significantly higher" where a plenary was used and was lowest where it was absent. |
| Expectations | Expectations |
| The researchers said its absence was "of particular concern" as it was intended to give provide a chance for feedback that could raise standards. | The researchers said its absence was "of particular concern" as it was intended to give provide a chance for feedback that could raise standards. |
| The problem might be teachers' lack of awareness of its purpose, or the fact that earlier parts of the lesson had overrun because their organisation was weak. | The problem might be teachers' lack of awareness of its purpose, or the fact that earlier parts of the lesson had overrun because their organisation was weak. |
| Schools in poorer areas exhibited poorer teaching. | Schools in poorer areas exhibited poorer teaching. |
| And they had less of what the researchers called "social support for learning" - with everyone's contribution being taken seriously and pupils' errors being used as learning opportunities. | And they had less of what the researchers called "social support for learning" - with everyone's contribution being taken seriously and pupils' errors being used as learning opportunities. |
| "This may reflect lower expectations, difficulties in recruiting/retaining good/experienced teachers and the greater behavioural difficulties associated with teaching in more challenging contexts," the report said. | "This may reflect lower expectations, difficulties in recruiting/retaining good/experienced teachers and the greater behavioural difficulties associated with teaching in more challenging contexts," the report said. |
| Disruptive behaviour and negative or "chaotic" classroom atmospheres were likely to coincide - though it was not clear whether a chaotic atmosphere produced disruptive behaviour or was caused by it. | Disruptive behaviour and negative or "chaotic" classroom atmospheres were likely to coincide - though it was not clear whether a chaotic atmosphere produced disruptive behaviour or was caused by it. |
| "It seems likely that the two tend to reinforce each other." | "It seems likely that the two tend to reinforce each other." |
| In a separate report from the same long-term study of some 2,500 children, the researchers said pupils' attainment at the age of about seven (KS1) was a powerful predictor of their performance when they left primary school. | In a separate report from the same long-term study of some 2,500 children, the researchers said pupils' attainment at the age of about seven (KS1) was a powerful predictor of their performance when they left primary school. |
| Those eligible for free school meals and those with special educational needs showed "substantially less progress" across all subjects. | Those eligible for free school meals and those with special educational needs showed "substantially less progress" across all subjects. |
| "As these pupils also have lower KS1 attainment, the gap is widening between them and others over time." | "As these pupils also have lower KS1 attainment, the gap is widening between them and others over time." |
| 'Strategy works' | 'Strategy works' |
| A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said the report demonstrated that the lesson model advocated by the government's primary national strategy was effective. | |
| Standards had never been higher. | Standards had never been higher. |
| "Our Primary National Strategy and the work of thousands of teachers have enabled around 95,000 more 11-year-olds to master literacy and 83,000 more to master numeracy this year than did in 1997," he said. | "Our Primary National Strategy and the work of thousands of teachers have enabled around 95,000 more 11-year-olds to master literacy and 83,000 more to master numeracy this year than did in 1997," he said. |
| Schools that had used its approach, including a plenary at the end, had significantly higher teaching quality, "something our guidance to schools makes clear". | Schools that had used its approach, including a plenary at the end, had significantly higher teaching quality, "something our guidance to schools makes clear". |
DfES: Variations in teacher and pupil behaviours in Year 5 classes and The effectiveness of primary schools in England in Key Stage 2 for 2002, 2003 and 2004, by Edward Melhuish and Helena Romaniuk, Birkbeck, University of London; Pam Sammons, University of Nottingham; Kathy Sylva, University of Oxford; Iram Siraj-Blatchford and Brenda Taggart, Institute of Education, University of London. |