Relationships and Processes That Occur During School Time

Organisation of Teaching and Learning

The way pupils are allocated to teaching groups on the basis of unfair judgement some teachers make can limit what some pupils learn and their ultimate success. Mixed ability sets are where all abilities are taught together. The teaching tends to be changed slightly so that weaker pupils can still engage in the lesson. It allows for a broader social mix and ensures that labelling on the basis of behaviour does not affect attainment. Streaming is where pupils are grouped according to ability for all or some of their lessons. The top set is always the most academic and the bottom groups tend to be the lower achievers. Some people support this as it allows the top sets to thrive and not be held back whilst the lower sets are not left behind and can get the extra support they need. Setting is where students are grouped for some of their lessons by their ability. It means that a student could be in a top set for one lesson but a bottom set in another subject. It is the most common form of ability grouping in England and Wales.

At primary level the following were found:

• In reading most pupils wished to be in the top set so that it gave them a special status. However all groups except the top didn’t like individual work because they didn’t want to feel left out.
• Social adjustment and social attitudes were “healthier” among children in non-streamed classes
• The more streams there were the more negative were the people in the lower streams
• Pupils in lower ability groups and taught by teachers believing in streaming could become friendless or neglected by other due to their set

At secondary level the following was found:

• Streaming may play a major role in changing antischool attitudes among pupils
• Setting may produce more negative effects than positive as a high proportion of students often want to move sets or change it to mixed ability groups
• Ability grouping when it involved setting is preferred among secondary students but it is a greater level of mixed ability teaching in the school