Key Stage 2 Research Articles

Preliminary findings of storytelling in schools as a pre-heatwave intervention to enhance children's behaviour to improve thermal comfort

Younger schoolchildren in particular are at risk of overheating in school due to two key factors. Firstly, children have a preference for lower temperatures than adults, and yet schools are designed and operated using adult thermal preference guidance. Secondly, younger schoolchildren often lack the confidence to change their behaviour in a school setting (remove a jumper, more away from direct sunlight, drink more water etc.) without prompting from the teacher. This paper reports a pilot study of a storytelling approach to enable schoolchildren to enhance their behaviour to improve their thermal comfort. A control: intervention study was undertaken across eight classes, in two schools in Hampshire, UK, with KS1 (national curriculum Key Stage 1, age 6–7) and KS2 (Key Stage 2 age 7–9) children. A new story, “The Hottest Day at School” was developed, where actions to improve thermal comfort were introduced, read by the teacher to children of intervention classes prior to a heatwave. The thermally influenced actions and feelings of schoolchildren were assessed during the heatwave event via a sticker log activity which each child completed. Fisher's exact and Pearson's chi-squared tests indicate statistically significant differences in the actions of KS1 children in particular. Whilst acknowledging the preliminary nature of the findings, the paper suggests that the storytelling approach does enable children to adapt their behaviour to enhance thermal comfort.

The perceptions of secondary school students regarding the learning of computer programming at Key Stage 4 in the revised curriculum in England: problems and solutions.

Programming is becoming progressively important for many societies in the world today. It is also required in educational institutions and is especially important for students who will be graduating and looking for employment opportunities in the future. However, the teaching of a programming is not well developed in many secondary schools in different areas in England. Today, teaching programming is considered to be of the priority domain of several countries in the twenty-first century. Interest in this domain is wide and the amount of research conducted in the field is numerous. This study was designed to investigate and to aid a critical students’ understanding of the learning of programming in the revised Key Stage 4 (KS4) Computer Science (CS) curriculum. It seeks to understand the impact of learning programming on student’s perceptions toward programming and how to improve the teaching and learning of programming. The study found that the issues faced by students learning programming include a lack of time, the perception that it is a ‘difficult’ subject and students’ insufficient understanding of programming. The findings also suggest that schools have made efforts to overcome these challenges and are willing to adopt programming as a subject and to help, encourage, develop and improve students’ ability to learn programming.

What are the influences on KS2 teachers of comprehension and how are they shaping their learning and development?

ABSTRACT This article is based on a doctoral study which devised a novel framework to examine influences on Key Stage 2 (KS2) teachers of reading comprehension. It provides an understanding of the impact of professional knowledge and reading comprehension instruction research on teachers. Analysis of 14 interviews with primary teachers found they valued 5 areas of comprehension teaching. Goos’ (2013) adaptation of Valsiner’s [1997. Culture and the Development of Children’s Action: A Theory of Human Development. 2nd ed. John Wiley] zone theory and Lave and Wenger’s (1991) Communities of Practice (CoP) are used to explore teachers’ development in teaching comprehension through their interactions with the social environments of schools.

Rethinking pedagogic identities for Key Stage 3 general classroom music teacher education: an autoethnographic study

AbstractMy role as a university-based, general classroom music teacher educator in England has become unclear, exacerbated by policies that have undermined the field of classroom music in schools and the role of universities in teacher education. Using self-critical inquiry enacted as critically reflexive autoethnography, I interrogated my professional practice to rethink my pedagogic identity. Theoretical perspectives, drawn from Bernstein and Bourdieu, were used to chart my shifting identity. This paper introduces a theorised model to illustrate a range of pedagogic identities for Key Stage 3 (KS3) general classroom music teacher education.

Failing children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in England: New evidence of poor outcomes and a postcode lottery at the Local Authority level at Key Stage 1

AbstractThis paper sets out original findings from analyses of the English National Pupil Database of Key Stage 1 (KS1) attainment, to examine educational outcomes of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The schooling of these children has been entirely within the context of the current SEND system, defined by the 2014–2015 policy of the Children and Families Act and Code of Practice. With a strong focus on children's needs and outcomes, the policy intends to achieve high educational outcomes for children with SEND. Our new results show, however, that children with SEND are one of the most disadvantaged groups in education, and they are far less likely to meet expected learning standards than their peers at KS1. For instance, about 44%, 31% and 23% of children with SEND met the standards in phonics, reading and writing, respectively, compared to 88%, 83% and 78% of children with no SEND. Further, our spatial analysis shows for the first time that this disadvantage displays large spatial variability across Local Authorities: there is a postcode lottery in the education of children with SEND. The new findings provide strong evidence that the new SEND policy is failing many children with SEND, and that this performance varies markedly across space. This adds further weight and evidence to a growing recognition, even from government, that the SEND system needs to change, and that the ambitious aims of the transformation of education and care for children with SEND in 2014 and 2015 are not being realised.

Ethnic differences in reading and mathematical test performance in primary schools in England

ObjectivesThis study investigates ethnic differences in Key Stage 2 (KS2) reading and mathematical test scores among primary school pupils in state schools in England between 2007 and 2018. The aim is to assess the performance across ethnic categories and examine its evolution over the course of the study period.
 MethodsThe analysis uses data from the National Pupil Database combining ethnicity information from school censuses with KS2 attainment data. KS2 reading and mathematical tests are taken by Year 6 pupils aged 10 to 11. Mean test scores are compared across ethnic categories, while the method of relative distribution is employed to evaluate performance in each ethnic category relative to the White British across the entire distribution of test scores in 2007 and 2018.
 ResultsBetween 2007 and 2018, the reading and maths test scores of British Bangladeshi, Black African, and Pakistani pupils improved relative to the White British group. In 2018, British Bangladeshi and Black African pupils performed at a similar or slightly higher level compared to their White British peers. The advantage in test scores in the two higher performing categories, British Indian and Chinese, further increased. Attainment in the other White category remained similar to the White British group. The test scores for the Black Caribbean and Mixed White and Black Caribbean categories tended to be concentrated in the lower part of the distribution. In 2018, the proportion of mixed and non-White pupils remained largely constant throughout the reading test score distribution, while in maths, a higher proportion of mixed and non-White pupils were found among high achievers compared to other parts of the distribution.
 ConclusionFrom 2007 to 2018, KS2 test performance improved relative to the White British group for some ethnic categories, while it did not for others. This paper proposes potential explanations for these differences, which are related to the volume and characteristics of immigration to England. Further empirical testing is required in future research to substantiate these explanations.

How does the local area deprivation influence life chances for children in poverty in Wales: A record linkage cohort study

ObjectivesChildren growing up in poverty are less likely to achieve in school and more likely to experience mental health problems. This study examined factors in the local area that can help a child overcome the negative impact of poverty. DesignA longitudinal record linkage retrospective cohort study. ParticipantsThis study included 159,131 children who lived in Wales and completed their age 16 exams (Key Stage 4 (KS4)) between 2009 and 2016. Free School Meal (FSM) provision was used as an indicator of household-level deprivation. Area-level deprivation was measured using the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) 2011. An encrypted unique Anonymous Linking Field was used to link the children with their health- and educational records. Outcome measuresThe outcome variable ‘Profile to Leave Poverty’ (PLP) was constructed based on successful completion of age 16 exams, no mental health condition, no substance and alcohol misuse records in routine data. Logistic regression with stepwise model selection was used to investigate the association between local area deprivation and the outcome variable. Results22% of children on FSM achieved PLP compared to 54.9% of non-FSM children. FSM Children from least deprived areas were significantly more likely to achieve PLP (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) - 2.20 (1.93, 2.51)) than FSM children from most deprived areas. FSM children, living in areas with higher community safety, higher relative income, higher access to services, were more likely to achieve PLP than their peers. ConclusionThe findings indicate that community-level improvements such as increasing safety, connectivity and employment might help in child's education attainment, mental health and reduce risk taking behaviours.

An exploration into the implications of the Covid‐19 restrictions on the transition from Early Years Education to Key Stage 1 for children with special educational needs and disability – a comparative study

This small‐scale comparative study explores how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted on the transition from Early Years Education to Key Stage 1 (KS1) for children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) in a SEND specialist school in the UK. Two focus group interviews were conducted with nine professionals who work across three KS1 classes for pupils with moderate learning difficulties at a SEND specialist provision setting. This study aimed to compare their experiences and observations of how the children responded to this significant transition in September 2020, in the context of the coronavirus restrictions, and how their practice, provision and transitional support were adapted to meet the needs of the children and to adhere to the changing Covid‐19 guidance. The novel findings of this study revealed that the professionals observed significant disruptions and delays in children's independence skills and social and emotional skills, and in adhering to behavioral expectations, in comparison to cohorts in previous academic years. Additionally, the study identified a lack of consistent and systematic educational guidance during the coronavirus pandemic and a significant difference in transitional support practices due to the coronavirus restrictions.

Educational achievements of children aged 10-11 years with cystic fibrosis. A data linkage study in Wales.

IntroductionAs people with cystic fibrosis (CF) lead longer, healthier lives, educational qualifications and employment prospects are increasingly important. However, little is known about the social consequences of CF, in particular, any impact on educational achievements and the support children with CF receive in schools.ObjectivesTo assess the educational achievements of children with CF in Wales compared to the general Welsh population, and the additional learning support children with CF receive in schools.MethodsWe conducted a population-scale data linkage study of all children born in Wales using the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank. We used anonymised individual-level population-scale health and administrative data sources to identify children with CF born between 2000 – 2015, linked to educational attainment records. We calculated the percentage of children that reached expected levels in statutory assessment at age 10-11, Key Stage 2 (KS2), and compared this to educational outcomes in the general population. We also assessed the percentage of children with CF that received extra learning support.ResultsOut of 150 eligible children, 119 had KS2 results. 77% (95% CI: 69%-84%) of children achieved expected levels in English, 81% (95% CI: 73% -87%) in Mathematics and 82% (95% CI: 75% - 88%) in Science. In the comparable general Welsh population, 83.4% to 91.1% achieved the expected level in English, 84.9% to 91.6% in Maths, and 87.1% to 92.2% in Science across the years of the study. 70% of children with CF received extra learning support.ConclusionsChildren with CF in Wales may have worse educational achievements than the general population. More research is needed to inform policies and interventions to better support children with CF to reach their full educational potential and employment opportunities.

Living the spiral curriculum: using the Swanwick/Tillman sequence of musical development to support music in primary schools in the 1980s

AbstractThis article aims to capture how the Swanwick and Tillman (1986) spiral model of musical development influenced my work as an Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) music coordinator (advisory teacher). It discusses my professional position in a period of teaching prior to the implementation of the National Curriculum for Music, to illustrate dichotomous pedagogical approaches in a developing re-positioning of aesthetic knowledge in music education. Using the example of two Key Stage 2 (KS2) music projects, a brief reflection concludes how the model of musical development and an adapted pedagogic approach facilitated my work in supporting music teachers to embrace music teaching with confidence and to consider what meaningful musical activity for musical learning is and how this might be planned.

Nurse-led home-visitation programme for first-time mothers in reducing maltreatment and improving child health and development (BB:2-6): longer-term outcomes from a randomised cohort using data linkage

ObjectivesMeasure effectiveness of family nurse partnership (FNP) home-visiting programme in reducing maltreatment and improving maternal health and child health, developmental and educational outcomes; explore effect moderators, mediators; describe costs.DesignFollow-up of...

Student participation in a coastal water quality citizen science project and its contribution to the conceptual and procedural learning of chemistry

The active participation of citizens in scientific research, through citizen science, has been proven successful. However, knowledge on the potential of citizen science within formal chemistry learning, at the conceptual and procedural levels, remains insufficiently explored. We developed a citizen science project – PVC: Perceiving the Value of Chemistry behind water and microplastics – which sought to involve students in monitoring the physicochemical parameters of coastal water quality, through the detection of microplastics in these waters, in addition to the qualitative identification of plastic contaminants on beaches. The project was conducted throughout the 2018/2019 school year and involved 442 middle school students (Key Stage 3 (KS3) aged 12–14, in Portuguese schools) and 9 chemistry teachers, in the northern coastal region of Portugal. The data on learning outcomes was collected through knowledge tests, applied after project conclusion, and was then compared to data collected up to six months later (retention test). In addition, interviews were conducted with participants, and researchers’ field notes were recorded and analyzed. Data analysis suggests the PVC project promoted conceptual chemistry learning related to the analysis of physicochemical water parameters (pH, temperature, turbidity, salinity, nitrate and nitrite concentrations and dissolved oxygen), as well as polymers (polymer types, formation and structure). A positive knowledge retention was registered a few months after the project conclusion. At a process level, participants learned laboratory techniques (sieving, gravity and reduced pressure filtrations and crystallization) and the handling of laboratory materials. Furthermore, teachers recognized that their students’ participation in the PVC project fostered the development of their argumentation skills, as well as their reflexive and critical thinking skills. The ability to communicate ideas and results, along with the development of students’ digital skills, was also mentioned.

Understanding curriculum design in the perceptions and practices of classroom music teachers in the lower secondary school in England

AbstractCurriculum design is a domain that infrequently forms a discrete element of initial teacher training, or continuing professional development for music teachers in English secondary schools. Classroom music teachers, teaching Key Stage 3 (KS3) learners (11–14-year olds), are, however, required to design their own curriculum. Teachers are accountable to school leaders for curricula they implement, and the outcomes from their selected approaches. This article discusses classroom music curriculum practices and their significance in music education. The research project was conducted with music teachers from schools in the East and West Midlands of England, utilising questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Research findings are conceptualised in a model of music curriculum activity. The research thereby facilitates discussion of unacknowledged complexities and tacit teacher planning practices in music curriculum design.

Association of asthma severity and educational attainment at age 6–7 years in a birth cohort: population-based record-linkage study

BackgroundThere is conflicting research about the association between asthma and poor educational attainment that may be due to asthma definitions. Our study creates seven categories of current chronic and acute...

Tracking Children’s Physical Activity Patterns across the School Year: A Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Case Study

Despite the breadth of health benefits associated with regular physical activity (PA), many children in the UK are not sufficiently active enough to meet health guidelines, and tend to become less active as they mature into and throughout adolescence. Research has indicated that children’s school, home and neighbourhood environments can all significantly influence their opportunities to engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). However, less is known about how children’s MVPA patterns within these key environments may change across the school year. The current mixed-methods case study aims to explore this issue by tracking key stage 2 (KS2) and key stage 3 (KS3) children’s MVPA patterns across the school year. Fifty-eight children (29 boys, 29 girls, KS2 = 34, KS3 = 24) wore an integrated global positioning systems (GPS) and heart rate (HR) monitor over four consecutive days in the first term of school (autumn), before these measurements were repeated in the two remaining school terms (winter–summer). A subsample of children (n = 6–8 per group) were invited to take part in one of six focus groups each term to further explore their PA behaviours and identify the barriers and facilitators to PA. The children’s MVPA was significantly lower (p = 0.046) in term 2 (winter/spring term) than during the warmer terms (autumn and summer). All the locations showed reductions in MVPA in term 2, except indoor MVPA, which increased, and MVPA on foot in the neighbourhood, which remained consistent. Focus groups revealed location, friends, and the variety of options to be associated with MVPA, and poor weather, parental permission, and time limitations to be barriers to MVPA. This mixed-methodological, repeated-measures design study highlights differences in the activity patterns and perceptions of children over the school year. Future studies should implement longitudinal, multi-method approaches to gain deeper insight into how children’s PA behaviours differ over time. Consequently, this can inform future health policies promoting children’s PA throughout the year.

Educational Attainment of Children Born with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the United Kingdom.

Objective:This study evaluated association between functional outcomes in children born with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and educational attainment.Design:Cleft Care UK (CCUK) was a United Kingdom (UK) wide cross-sectional study.Setting:UK Cleft Teams (data collected from all UK sites providing centralized cleft services).Patients, Participants:Five-year olds born with nonsyndromic UCLP (n = 268).Main Outcome Measure(s):National tests for educational attainment Key Stage 1 (KS1) undertaken by children at age 7 were linked to CCUK data to describe differences in educational attainment. Associations between functional outcomes and KS1 results were evaluated using regression analysis. We adjusted for birth month, gender, and an area-based measure of socioeconomic status.Results:Data were available for 205 children with UCLP. These children scored lower than national average (NA) scores across all subject areas, with a 0.62 lower score observed in the Average Point Score (APS; P = .01). There was association between being in a lower category for a cleft related outcomes and poorer KS1 results, with a trend for poorer attainment with higher numbers of poor functional outcomes. Those with 3 or more poor outcomes had a −2.26 (−3.55 to −0.97) lower APS compared to those with 0 to 1 poor outcomes.Conclusions:Children born with UCLP have poorer educational attainment at age 7 across all subject areas though differences were modest. Children with poor functional outcomes at age 5 had worse educational outcomes age 7. Improvements in functional outcomes could enhance educational outcomes.

Maternal iodine status in a multi-ethnic UK birth cohort: Associations with child cognitive and educational development.

Maternal iodine requirements increase during pregnancy to supply thyroid hormones critical for fetal neurodevelopment. Iodine insufficiency may result in poorer cognitive or child educational outcomes but current evidence is sparse and inconsistent. To quantify the association between maternal iodine status and child educational outcomes. Urinary iodine concentrations (UIC) and iodine/creatinine ratios (I:Cr) were measured in 6971 mothers at 26-28weeks' gestation participating in the Born in Bradford cohort. Maternal iodine status was examined in relation to child school achievement (early years foundation stage (EYFS), phonics, and Key Stage 1 (KS1)), other learning outcomes, social and behavioural difficulties, and sensorimotor control in 5745 children aged 4-7years. Median (interquartile range) UIC was 76µg/L (46, 120), and I:Cr was 83µg/g (59, 121). Overall, there was no strong or consistent evidence to support associations between UIC or I:Cr and neurodevelopmental outcomes. For instance, predicted EYFS and phonics scores (primary outcomes) at the 25th vs 75th I:Cr percentiles (99% confidence intervals) were similar, with no evidence of associations: EYFS scores were 32 (99% CI 31, 33) and 33 (99% CI 32, 34), and phonics scores were 34 (99% CI 33, 35) and 35 (99% CI 34, 36), respectively. In the largest single study of its kind, there was little evidence of detrimental neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born to pregnant women with iodine insufficiency as defined by World Health Organization-outlined thresholds. Alternative functional biomarkers for iodine status in pregnancy and focused assessment of other health outcomes may provide additional insight.

The misallocation of students to academic sets in maths: A study of secondary schools in England

Drawing upon data gathered from 9301 Year 7 students (12–13 years old) from 46 secondary schools in England, this study represents the first larger‐scale attempt to compare their actual set allocations in maths with the counterfactual position where their allocation to sets is based solely on their prior attainment at the end of primary school [using their Key Stage 2 (KS2) fine‐grained scores in maths]. Through such an analysis, the study found that nearly a third of students (31.2%) had been misallocated to lower or higher sets than their KS2 results would have warranted. Beyond this, school setting practices were found to exacerbate differences in set allocation in relation to gender and ethnicity, but not socioeconomic background. The odds of girls being misallocated to lower sets in maths than their prior attainment would warrant was found to be 1.5 times higher than that for boys. Similarly, the odds of Black students being misallocated to lower sets was 2.4 times higher than for White students, whilst the odds of Asian students being misallocated to lower maths sets was 1.7 times higher than for White students. The article concludes by reflecting on the significant role that setting by attainment in secondary school can play in exacerbating already established patterns of educational inequalities in gender and ethnicity.

Impact of co-occurring hearing and visual difficulties in childhood on educational outcomes: a longitudinal cohort study

BackgroundMild hearing and visual difficulties are common in childhood, and both may have implications for educational achievement. However, the impact of co-occurring common hearing and visual difficulties in childhood is...

Awakening to chemistry through storytelling and practical activities: middle school students interacting with pre-school children

A storytelling approach has been seen as a powerful way to teach science and arouse interest and promote positive attitudes toward learning science in the early years. The purpose of our study was to determine how middle school students – Key Stage 3 (KS3) aged 12–14 in Portuguese schools – experienced learning chemistry through storytelling and how they, in turn, experienced creating stories using a storytelling approach with pre-school children. We aimed to perceive the appropriation of concepts of chemistry by the pre-school children through their drawings, the results collected during the pedagogical intervention and the recordings of the discussions between the pre-school children, the students and the pre-school teachers. The KS3 students were also given a self-assessment questionnaire as a way of assessing the pedagogical dynamics and the drive and motivation to learn chemistry. The study involved 53 children: 16 from KS3 and 37 from pre-school. The intervention took place during the KS3 students’ chemistry classes and during the pre-schoolers’ “storytelling moment”, a weekly 1 hour activity that took place at their kindergarten. We found that the use of a storytelling approach complemented with hands-on activities, as a strategy to teach acid–base content to KS3 students, contributed to their learning. Moreover, it was an important experience, which motivated them to write their stories and to prepare the activities for the pre-schoolers. We also found that the interaction of the older students with the pre-schoolers was profitable for both parts, since this type of activity promotes the acquisition of knowledge. During the “storytelling moment” and the hands-on activities with the pre-schoolers, we were able to witness that the younger students understood the concepts, enjoyed the interaction and felt captivated to learn science, through the questions they posed, the informal conversations and the drawings they made. This study showed us that the use of stories and hands-on activities is an effective strategy in motivating young people to learn chemistry.