Secondary Heads Give Strong Support To Government's Key Stage 3 Strategy

New research reveals that nearly all Secondary Heads, in schools piloting Government reforms at Key Stage 3, support the principle of a Key Stage 3 Strategy and agree that the Government must now afford a high priority to secondary school pupils.

Most Heads also believe the Strategy will have a positive impact on pupils literacy and numeracy standards (97%) and that it will have a positive effect on teaching standards (89%), on planning (95%), teaching strategies (89%) and curriculum development (85%)

CfBT, a not for profit provider of education and training support services, commissioned MORI Telephone Surveys to research Secondary Headteachers' attitudes to the Key Stage 3 Strategy, to help inform their development of these services in support of the Literacy and Numeracy KS 3 programme. MORI Telephone Surveys interviewed, by telephone, a representative sample, by type of school, of 149 Head Teachers piloting the KS 3 reforms, in July 2001. CfBT is contracted by the Standards and Effectiveness Unit (DfES) to provide project management and professional support services for the Literacy and Numeracy strategies.

The KS 3 initiative aims to ensure that the gains of the literacy and numeracy strategies in primary schools are continued into secondary schools. Following a pilot, which began in 205 schools across 17 LEAs in September 2000, the Key Stage 3 National Strategy began to be introduced nationally this month (September).

Around two thirds of the Headteachers surveyed believe that the Framework for Teaching has given teachers more confidence in teaching both Maths and English. Teachers, they say, have found planning from the framework for teaching Maths and English easier in preparing for the second year of the pilot programme.

Virtually all Heads agree that the three-part lesson structure has improved teaching practice (70%) and the pace of lessons as well as improving standards, and 79% agree that it has improved pupils' interest and engagement. Heads said that, as a result of the KS 3 programme, changes had been made in most schools (93%), with 47% saying they had changed lesson structures and 37% re-organising year 7 curriculum/teacher planning and 22% re-structuring staffing and training. High performing schools reported the most positive changes.

Heads appeared less confident regarding the reforms influence on pupils' disaffection. Less than two thirds felt that it would have a positive impact, with a quarter unsure. However, in high performing and Shire schools, around three quarters believed it would have a positive impact on pupil disaffection.

Concerning the Strategy's overall effect on pupil motivation and engagement, 81% thought it would have either ' a great deal' or 'quite a lot' of positive effect.

Virtually all Headteachers (96%) rated the support given by their LEA, in helping them to introduce and implement the pilot programmes, as 'very good' or ' fairly good' and 87% rated the training and support provided by both Maths and English consultants as either 'very good' or ' fairly good.'

Summer schools also received a vote of confidence, with over three quarters of Heads agreeing that they had helped improve the transition for the target group from KS2.

There was a mixed response to the use and deployment of teaching assistants in support of the Strategy although a clear majority(63%) used them a 'great deal' or 'quite a lot', with London, Shire and low performing schools most positive.

Notes

149 Head Teachers in Secondary Schools were interviewed by MORI Telephone Surveys during the period from 4th to 13th July 2001. Data was analysed in relation to KS 3 English tests in summer 2000; 23 Schools in Upper Quartile; 78 schools in middle two quartiles;45 schools in lower quartile. LEA Type: London; 21 Schools. Unitary/Metropolitan; 64 Schools. Shire; 64 Schools. School Type: Grammar; 1 Middle; 2.

National Literacy Strategy

Introduced in September 1998, the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) is designed to raise literacy standards in primary schools. Under the NLS, all primary pupils receive a daily, dedicated Literacy Hour, providing a balance of word, sentence and text level work. There is strong evidence of the early success of the strategy. In the year 2000 Key Stage 2 tests 75% of 11 year olds achieved the expected standard for their age, a 10% point increase after just two years of the strategy. By 2002, 80% of 11 year olds are expected to reach the standard for their age or above in English. There is still much work to do, particularly in raising writing standards. We have already trained Year 5 and 6 teachers in our Grammar for writings materials and have sent the accompanying guidance for Key Stage 1, Developing Early Writing, to schools. We have also developed online materials to help teachers select quality texts for use in the Literacy Hour and have produced materials on marking pupils' writing. This financial year the National Literacy Strategy will be supported by funding of around 16396 million.

National Numeracy Strategy

The National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) was introduced in primary schools in September 1999. All primary schools now teach a daily-dedicated maths lesson. The strategy is already raising standards. The 2000 Key Stage 2 tests showed that 72% of pupils achieved level 4 and above in mathematics, a 13% point increase over the last two years. This figure reflects the large number of schools who chose to introduce the strategy early. By 2002, 75% of 11 year olds are expected to reach the standard for their age or above in mathematics.

Raising Standards at Key Stage 3

This initiative aims to ensure that the gains of the literacy and numeracy strategies in primary schools are continued into secondary schools. Following a pilot which began in 205 schools across 17 LEAs in September 2000, the Key Stage 3 National Strategy starts to be introduced nationally this September. Schools will be phasing in the English and mathematics strands in Key Stage 3, and will be supported with professional development for teachers, underpinned by high quality training materials trialled during the pilot and refined in the light of it. A key element of the strategy is to support children who start secondary school below the level expected for their age in English and mathematics with programmes to help them catch-up with their peers early on. But the Strategy also caters for more able learners as well, and aims to promote higher standards for all pupils, whatever their starting point and ability level. From this month pilot schools will start to focus on the other strands of the strategy; science, ICT and Teaching and Learning in the Foundation subjects (TLF) and these will start to be introduced nationally from 2002/2003.

CfBT is a leading independent not for profit provider of education and training services, assisting governments to implement reform, schools to run efficiently, teachers to teach effectively and everyone to raise standards. It has a turnover of around 16375m. All surpluses raised are reinvested in education. CfBT Trustees currently donate over 1631million a year for education projects and research worldwide. It is involved (interalia) in managing education projects in the UK and abroad, including, for instance, Teacher Training, Teacher Supply, Schools Support Services and Careers Education and Guidance. It also manages the Government's National Literacy and Numeracy Centre for the Standards and Effectiveness Unit (DfES) and co-manages Lambeth's Education Action Zone (EAZ). CfBT's government clients include DfES, TTA, HM Prison Service, DfID. It has recently merged with INCLUDE a specialist service aiming to ensure the participation of all young people in education.