Secondary Education Examination Research Articles

Transformational Leadership: Teachers' Idealized Influence on Students' Academic Performance in County Secondary Schools in Kirinyaga, Kenya

Leadership plays an essential role in any education development and quality of students' academic performance. In many parts of the world, including the developed and developing countries, there is the recognition that schools require influential leaders and managers if they are to provide the best possible education for their students. This study explores the relationship between transformational leadership and academic performance of secondary school students in Kirinyaga County. Education plays a vital role in bringing enlightened transformation in society. Therefore, understanding how the administration can improve students' performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations in Kirinyaga County, is central to this study. The study examined teachers' idealized management practices as an essential indicator for a transformative leader on students' academic performance in KCSE. The study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed method research. This approach involved collecting quantitative data first, analyzing it and then developing qualitative interviews to follow the initial findings. The qualitative design focused on phenomenology, to understand how teachers' experienced idealized influence and how it affected their student's academic performance. In the quantitative phase, surveys were used to determine teachers' idealized Management practices (IMP) on Students Academic Performance (SAP). A random sampling of 48 teachers and 359 students were selected to participate in the survey from the total population of 484 teachers and 9,904 students. The researcher interviewed teachers to qualify their transformational leader knowledge on transformational leadership and experience in relation to their students' performance. Besides was a documentary analysis to obtain more information on students' academic performance. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics, analysis frequencies, means, standard deviations and percentages were calculated and presented in tables. Results revealed that IMP has a significant favorable influence on KCSE academic performance of 0.208 at alpha value 0.05 level of significance (2-tailed). Future research may focus on the impact of teachers and transformational leadership on school culture, among other areas of interest, to inform educational officers and other professionals working to support young people through effective transformational leadership around idealized management practices.

What does Text Selection in the HKDSE Reading Comprehension Paper Say about the Exam?

The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) examination is a high-stakes matriculation system that determines the opportunity for higher education and social mobility for most local students. This means that content featured in the tests poses strong washback effects on classroom teaching and learning. Despite the fact that the Hong Kong Examination and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) recognizes the effects of washback and the necessity to use it in a positive way, certain aspects within the HKDSE English Language Reading Comprehension paper might have been overlooked. This paper looks at the genres, text sources and topics featured by the HKDSE examination since its inception in 2011. It finds that while there is an effort to diversify the topics featured and ensure their appropriacy to local candidates, the Authority falls short in utilizing a wide enough range of text genres in its examinations, possibly leading to narrowed English reading abilities in the population. Additionally, texts are also usually selected from sources that favor affluent, professional demographics, which has possible implications for the fairness of the test.

The Relationship Between user Education Costs and Secondary School Completion Rates in Samburu East Sub-county, Kenya

The study aimed at investigating the relationship between user education costs and secondary school completion rates in Samburu East Sub-county, Kenya. The descriptive survey research design was adopted. The study was guided by influential theory by Finn (1993). The study targeted a population of 254 Form four students derived from 7 secondary schools in Samburu East Sub-county, Kenya. The sample size of the study was 156 form four students. The 7 schools included in the study were sampled based on the fact that they had student cohorts who sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination. Data was collected using a questionnaire. The instruments were validated using content validity; also, validity was ensured through expert opinions. Piloting was done and reliability was tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The coefficient value of above 0.7 was obtained; therefore, the questionnaire was reliable. The response was obtained using a stratified and simple random sampling technique. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Quantitative data was analysed using mean, frequencies, percentages and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. The findings were presented in tables. The hypothesis at a threshold of 0.5 alpha level was tested using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient. The researcher concluded that the provision of personal effects by parents and the provision of lunch programs encouraged secondary school completion rates in the study locality. The study recommended for collaboration with the parents by sensitising them the need for supporting their children's education by providing the implementing management practices that can improve secondary school completion rates.

The Role of Teachers as Instructional Leaders and Their Contribution to Quality of Education in Africa: A Case of Kenya

The dual issues of quality education and teachers as instructional leaders will continue attracting attention in Africa and the world over. This is because the demographic, political, social, technological and global factors will continue shaping the education sector in ways that will demand effective leadership from teachers as leaders of learning. It is against this backdrop, that the Kenya Government has initiated curriculum reforms as a way of ensuring that quality education is maintained. The reform plan represents an effort to move largely away from a theory and test-based system to a skills-based system. This paper therefore sets out to analyse the role of teachers as instructional leaders and their contribution to quality education in the context of the on-going curriculum reforms. The paper will utilize the systems approach in its analysis and use performance data of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations based on 2015 and 2016 years. The paper will then provide some suggestions on how to enhance the leadership capacities of the teachers as instructional leaders.

EFFECTIVENESS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES USED ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KENYA

Learning activities play a crucial role in the instructional process. The use of efficient teaching and learning activities enhances the teaching and learning of English language. However, performance of English language among secondary school students in Kenya has remained poor over the years (2013-2018) as depicted by poor Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results. This can partly be attributed to failure of teachers to adopt appropriate learning activities. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of learning activities used on students’ achievement in English grammar in secondary schools in Kenya. This study was guided by Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and anchored on pragmatic philosophical paradigm. The study employed an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach utilizing quasi-experimental design of non-randomized control group, pre-test-post-test. The target population involved 3399 Form Two students and 84 teachers of English from Teso North Sub-County, Kenya. Stratified and simple random sampling were used to select 10 schools. Simple random sampling was used to select 509 students. Purposive and simple random were used to select 10 teachers. Data was generated using interview schedule, observation schedule, questionnaire and English Grammar Achievement Tests. Validity was determined by expert judgment and piloting. Reliability of the pre-test and post-test were established by test-retest which yielded a coefficient of 0.94 and 0.76 respectively. Cronbach Alpha was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire which yielded a coefficient of 0.85. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive data was presented through tables of frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation. Inferential statistics involved t-test and Pearson correlation. Qualitative data was analyzed using narrative analysis technique and presented through narration and direct quotes. The findings revealed that teachers predominantly used individual activities when teaching grammar, language games and group work had a positive influence on students’ achievement in grammar. Pearson Correlation results revealed that there existed statistically significant relationship between learning activities and achievement in grammar (r = .723, n = 509, p = .001). The study concluded that learning activities used influenced students’ achievement in grammar. Language games and group work are effective to be used in enhancing students’ achievement in English grammar than individual activities. This study recommends that teachers of English language should adopt language games and group work activities when teaching English grammar. Article visualizations:

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SCIENCES: IMPLICATIONS FOR GENDER PARITY IN KENYAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

This paper sought to investigate the factors that contribute to gender disparity in science subjects' performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations in Kenya. The study was conducted in Kakamega East Sub-County, Kenya. Kenya has domesticated international legal instruments on equal and quality education for both boys and girls. However, data obtained from the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) on KCSE results depicts that boys perform better than girls in science subjects. Based on this context, the study examined factors that contribute to gender disparity in academic performance in sciences. The study further assessed the assumptions underlying gender parity as well as the negative influence of gender parity on students in Kenyan secondary schools. The study identified three research objectives that guided data collection and data analysis. The paper examined the impact of learners' attitudes towards science subjects. Parental influence was also analyzed. The study further examined the role played by culture. The study targeted target boys boarding secondary schools and girls boarding secondary schools. The entire study population was 2200, out of which 400 students, 30 teachers, and10 headteachers were sampled. The total sample size was 440. This conformed to a confidence interval of 0.05, the confidence level of 95 percent, which is a Z-score of 1.96standard deviation of 0.5. The reliability was estimated through the use of Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19.0. Data was collected through questionnaires and interview schedules. Frequency analysis and findings revealed that the socio-economic status of the family, pupils' attitudes, and culture contributed to gender disparity in science performance. Regression analysis revealed that attitudes, socio-economic status and culture influence gender parity by 6.2 percent. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should provide proper career guidelines, which would motivate both boys and girls to pursue science subjects. Article visualizations:

PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHERS ON MEDIA USE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING OF ENGLISH IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAKAMEGA EAST, SUB COUNTY, KENYA

Media enhanced interest of learners enlivened the classroom and improved learning outcome. Despite use of media in teaching and learning, English language registered dismal performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations in Kakamega East Sub-County, Kenya. The decline was attributed to inappropriate and non-use of media in the curriculum. The purpose of the study was to establish perceptions of teachers on media use in teaching and learning of English language in public secondary schools in Kakamega East Sub-County. Specific objective of the study was to establish: perceptions of teachers on media use in teaching and learning of English language. The study revealed that teaching while incorporating appropriate media enhanced academic performance in the curriculum. The study used descriptive survey design. Romiszowski (1992) Conceptual Framework was used to establish perceptions of teachers on media use in teaching and learning of English language. The study population consisted of 23 head teachers, 46 teachers of English and 1500 Form Two students. Saturated sampling technique was used to select a sample of 20 head teachers and 40 teachers of English. Simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 500 Form Two students. Piloting of instruments was done on 10% of the population. Research instruments were questionnaire, document analysis guide, observation schedule and interview schedule. Content validity was attained by presenting research instruments to three experts in Department of Educational Communication Technology and Curriculum Studies. Quantitative data was collected from closed questionnaire items which were tallied and presented using frequency counts, percentages and means. Qualitative data was transcribed and organized into categories, subcategories and themes. The findings of the study showed that media use enabled learners to conceptualize abstract concepts and increased rate of retention in the curriculum. The study therefore recommended that teachers should use media appropriately to improve learning outcome in teaching and learning of English language. Article visualizations:

Analyzing student performance in secondary education examination using logistic regressions

The performance of the school examination results (CGPA) of 533 students who were admitted to higher secondary school in management stream of 2073 in Dolakha district was analyzed by examining their cumulative grade point average (CGPA) using binary logistic regression model. Factors affecting the CGPA were investigated. The factor that significantly influenced the CGPA in Secondary Education Examination (SEE) was types of schools. Other factors including gender and teaching language were found to be statistically not significant.

Assessment reform in Hong Kong: developing the HKDSE to align with the new academic structure

ABSTRACTIn alignment with the New Academic Structure, the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) was launched in 2012 to replace the former Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) as certification for completion of secondary education, and the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) as the main credentials for university admission in Hong Kong. Standards-referenced reporting is adopted for the HKDSE with the objective of reporting candidates’ results against a set of prescribed levels of achievement based on typical performances at those levels. Clearly defined standards facilitate learning and teaching as well as enable users of the qualification, including tertiary institutions and employers, to set appropriate entrance/job requirements. The standards are set and maintained by expert judgement supported by psychometric data to ensure fairness and consistency of standards across subjects and across cohorts. Systemic and implementation issues and their resolutions are discussed in the context of the education reform in Hong Kong.

The SES equity gap and the reform from modular to linear GCSE mathematics

This article addresses whether the introduction of end‐of‐course, linear General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations changed the socio‐economic equity gap in England. The GCSE is a national examination offered in a wide range of subjects and taken by almost the entire 16‐year‐old age cohort. Between the years 2007 and 2014, it underwent a number of reforms to both the underlying curriculum and the examination structure. At the beginning of the period, examinations were primarily modular in structure where the course was decomposed into discrete units tested in a staged manner. By 2014, all GCSE examinations were linear and the whole course content was tested simultaneously when study was complete. These structural changes and the curriculum reforms mean that the impact of modular and linear testing on the performance of students has been the focus of recent interest. Some educational commentators suggested that modular examinations are more suitable for lower‐performing students, including those with lower socio‐economic status (SES). This research has been conducted to monitor the socio‐economic equity gap in the light of the structural changes. It focuses on GCSE mathematics and concludes that, although there is still a clear gap in attainment between disadvantaged students and their peers, this gap does not seem to be exacerbated by the examination structure. In other words, the linearisation of GCSE mathematics is unlikely to have increased inequity between students of high and low SES.

Students’ and parents’ attitude towards the SEE English test

This paper reports on a study that explored students’ and their parents’ attitudes towards the fairness and accuracy of the Secondary Education Examination (SEE)English test- a high stakes test in the Nepalese context. It is most probably the first empirical study that has extensively explored this area. The data generated through a longitudinal survey among 247 SEE candidates and semi-structured interviews with six students and their parents in both the pre-test and post-test contexts indicates that students had mostly positive attitudes towards the test fairness and its accuracy in the pre-test context but mostly negative attitudes in the post-test context. However, parents had mostly negative attitudes towards the test in both contexts. Both students and their parents raised questions regarding the accuracy and fairness of the listening and speaking test in the post-test context. Having collected both the qualitative and quantitative data, this study has gained a comprehensive picture of the complexity of the test impacts within the Nepalese educational context, as perceived by students and their parents. The implications of the study have also been highlighted.

Teaching and testing of English listening and speaking in secondary schools in Nepal: Pretend for praxis?

Secondary English course requires testing of four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing independently. Secondary Education Examination (SEE) board conducts a written examination, which includes reading and writing skills, through different centres and English teachers are responsible to test students’ listening and speaking tests in their own schools and submit grades to District Education Office. Semi-structured interviews with secondary English teachers in private schools and school graduates investigated how the teachers practice listening and speaking skills in the classrooms and administer aural-oral tests. Findings indicate that private schools in the capital city have mandated English-only for communication in school premises with an expectation to develop students’ English language proficiency. Teachers focused on centre-based written examination and less emphasised the teaching and testing of listening and speaking skills. Teachers’ random assessment of students’ aural-oral skills without formal tests supported in declining the teaching of these skills. This article suggests that for realizing the examination effective, sustainable system needs to be developed for teachers to teach all language skills equitably.

Educational outcomes of children in Wales with cerebral palsy

Background with rationaleIt is recognized that children with disability have special educational needs (SEN). They are likely to have poor school attendance and do not achieve well academically. Many children with a cerebral palsy (CP) have SEN but little is known about their educational provision or outcomes.
 Main AimTo investigate the educational experience of children in Wales with CP and describe the type of SEN and SEN provision; school attendance; achievement—teacher assessments at the end of the Foundation Phase and Key Stages 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum (NC)—and in General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations.
 Methods/ApproachData from the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC), NC and GCSE results from 2009 to 2016 were linked with routine e-health records of primary and secondary health care data held in SAIL. The health care records were used to identify pupils who, potentially, had a cerebral palsy.
 ResultsThe linked data set included around 360,000 pupils per school census of whom 1200–1400 per school census were identified as having a CP, representing a crude prevalence of 0.4%. Adjusted for age, year and sex, there was no significant variation in prevalence by area deprivation. Around 60% of children with a CP have a statement of SEN; over a quarter of CP children are educated in special schools; CP children in mainstream (primary, middle and secondary) schools tended to miss more school sessions (~50% more) than other children and lower percentages achieved the expected levels at Key Stages 2 and 3 and the Level 2 GCSE threshold.
 Conclusion/Implications This work demonstrates the utility of record-linkage between health and education data to map, monitor and provide information to parents, carers and policymakers about education outcomes for this group of children to inform planning and service provision.

INFLUENCE OF TEACHER RELATED FACTORS ON STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN KISWAHILI COMPOSITION IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KISUMU WEST SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

Composition writing helps learners to acquire writing skills. However, students’ performance in Kiswahili composition at the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination shows that national performance has been fluctuating with a mean of 14.20 in 2008, 15.40 in 2009, 14.32 in 2010, 16.43 in 2011 and 10.43 in 2012out of 40 marks. From year 2008 to 2012, Kisumu West Sub-County students’ performance in the Joint Evaluation Test (JET) shows that performance was lower compared to other sub-counties in Kisumu County with a mean of 11.20 which was below the county mean of 13.49. Although studies have established that teachers are key determinants of performance, students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition has remained below average in public secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County. The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of teacher related factors on students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition in public secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County, Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey and correlation designs. Target population was 1622 Form 4 students, 54 teachers of Kiswahili Language, 33 Heads of Department (HOD) and 1 Sub-County Curriculum Support Officer (SCCSO). Purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 48 teachers, 29 HOD and 1 SCCSO. Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) formula was used to select a sample of 310 Form 4 students. Teacher and student questionnaire, HOD/SCCSO interview schedule and Kiswahili composition test were used for data collection. The study found a positive strong relationship between teacher related factors (R=.518 * , p=.000) and students’ academic performance. It was concluded that an improvement in teacher related factors increased students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition. The study therefore recommends that teachers should be constantly engaged in refresher courses, seminars and symposia to update their skills on Kiswahili language pedagogy so as to improve students’ academic performance. Article visualizations:

The Relationship between Public Secondary School Principals’ Leadership Styles and Students’ Performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education KCSE Examination in Guchasub-County, Kenya

The overall education goal of the Government of Kenya his to achieve education for all (EFA) by giving every Kenyan access to Quality education and training irrespective of one's socio-economic status. InGucha Sub County however, the quality of education in secondary schools, as measured by students’ performances in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations has continued to be poor over the years. This poor performance has been attributed to several factors such as; learners’ entry behaviour or ability, parents’ influence on learners, motivation of learners and teachers, learners’ environment, Government education policy and school principal’s leadership Styles among others. This study investigated the relationship between school principals’ leadership styles and students’ performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination in public secondary schools in GuchaSub-County. The study used a correlational research design to collect and analyze data from 294 respondents from 14 public Sub-County secondary schools in GuchaSub-County. The target population consisted of all public sub County secondary schools’ teachers and students in the Sub-County period two instruments were used to collect data after ascertaining their validity and reliability. These instruments included; two questionnaires; one for teachers and the other for students. The questionnaires used Likert scale in rating the responses. Both instruments had a reliability coefficient of 0.8 at an alpha level set priori at 0.05. The data collected was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 19.0 for Windows. The Pearson product moment correlation was used to test the null hypothesis of no relationship at 0.05 alpha level of significance based on the guidelines given by Ruth Ravid. The results of the study revealed that there is a significant relationship between school principals’ leadership Styles and students’ performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (KCSE). The study was significant because its reasons might help in the process of working out strategies for improving school leadership qualities in the Sub-County and hence performance of students in KCSE. In view of the above findings the following recommendation were made; school principals to be in- serviced on leadership Styles that may motivate the learners and teachers towards better students’ performance.

(Im)Possibility of Learning Science Through Livelihood Activities at Community Schools in Nepal

The Science in the Learning Home (SciLH) program was designed to address two well-documented, inter-related educational problems observed in the Community High Schools in Nepal. The first relates to the achievement of students in science in Secondary Education Examination (SEE), which is below average (33 out of 75 i.e. 44%), and the second concerns the insufficiencies of the resources and instruction to discourse their traditional and livelihood requirements through school science learning activities. Funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC), Nepal, as a Small Research Development and Innovation Grants (SRDIG) to the faculty member, SciLH is a title set by the researcher to provide a new and innovative concept to learn science from the home and cultural practices. The tenth-grade high school students and the community people (parents) participated in the study. Livelihood practices and activities at the home link SciLH concept aligns with the school science curriculum and textbooks with that of cultural practices. This research article offers a framework to explore factors which support the accomplishment of the ethnically different student population and parents using the outline of ethno-perspective.

Assessing the Correlation Between Academic Self-Concept and Mathematics Achievement in Secondary Schools in Nairobi County, Kenya

Students in Kenya have been performing poorly in mathematics in both primary and secondary schools, with the majority of the students scoring below average. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which academic self-concept correlates with mathematics achievement of secondary school students in Nairobi County. The study targeted 9,641 Form 3 students in public secondary schools that had registered students for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations for the past three years. A sample of 500 respondents was drawn using stratified and simple random sampling. A questionnaire that included items from the Academic Self-Concept Questionnaire was used to measure academic self-concept. The average score in mathematics for three consecutive terms was used as the mathematics achievement for each participant. The results from the study showed that academic self-concept positively and significantly predicted mathematics achievement. Based on findings, this article includes recommendations on effective ways that teachers, parents, and other stakeholders can help increase students’ academic self-concept and boost students’ mathematics achievement.

Secondary school students’ attitudes to practical work in biology, chemistry and physics in England

ABSTRACTBackground: In England, practical work is a major part of secondary school science and yet little research has examined students’ attitudes specifically to practical work.Purpose: To examine students’ attitudes to practical work in biology chemistry and physics in secondary schools in England.Sample: The study involved 607 students from Year 7 to Year 10 (aged 11–15) drawn from three state-maintained secondary schools in England. The schools were, broadly speaking, representative of schools in England in terms of academic measures such as GCSE outcomes, value-added performance and socio-economic area.Design and methods: The research considered students’ attitudes in terms of an established analytical framework incorporating the affective, behavioural and cognitive (ABC) domains and used a mixed methods approach involving questionnaires, lesson observations, and focus group discussions.Results: Whilst secondary students’ attitudes to practical work were, generally speaking, positive they were not constant and homogenous but change over time. The affective value of practical work was found to vary by subject although in all three sciences this value decreased, albeit at different rates, as students approached their General Certificate in Secondary Education examinations (GCSE) taken at age 16.Conclusion: The affective value of practical work needs to be considered on a subject by subject basis, rather than, as is often the case currently in school, in terms of a generic attitude to science practical work. Furthermore, the affective value of practical work can be maximised by using more at the start of secondary education (Key Stage 3 – ages 11–14) with a gradual, subject-specific, reduction as students approach their summative public examinations (age 16) when their preference for non-practical, exam orientated, teaching increases.

Determinants of education quality in the Canal del Dique y Zona Costera region of Colombia

This article analyzes the quality of secondary education in the municipalities of Canal del Dique y Zona Costera-a region characterized both by the richness of its soil and by its agricultural vocation. In addition to economic and social determinants, those variables having the most significant impact are determined, a key aspect in establishing general and specific measures for improving the potential for territorial development. In a new approach, these aims were met by applying the technique known as Ordered Logit – a type of Discrete Choice model – based on the results of the Saber 11 State Secondary Education Examination Critical Reading and Mathematics tests for 35,369 students from the region for the second half of 2014 and contrasted with each student’s socioeconomic conditions. The results show that, along with the institutional problems facing the region, high levels of poverty have had an impact on the quality of the education system, producing very low levels of quality, on a scale even more serious than the Colombian average.

Educational outcomes of children with cerebral palsy

IntroductionChildren with special educational needs (SEN) are more likely to have disadvantaged backgrounds than their peers, attend school less and do not achieve as well academically. Many children with a cerebral palsy (CP) have SEN but little is known about their educational outcomes.
 Objectives and ApproachTo investigate the background of children in Wales with CP and describe their educational experience including: type of SEN and SEN provision; school attendance; achievement—teacher assessments at the end of the Foundation Phase and Key Stages 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum (NC)— and in General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations.
 Data from the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC), NC and GCSE results were linked with routine e-health records of primary and secondary health care data held in SAIL. Using health care records for everyone aged between 0-25 in 2004–14, cases of CP were flagged.
 ResultsThe linked data set included some 1500–2000 children per school census classified as having a CP, representing a prevalence of some 0.3%. Provisionally, results show: prevalence of CP is higher amongst children living in relatively deprived areas; around 60% of CP children have a statement of SEN; the SEN type most commonly recorded for CP children with SEN is ‘Physical and medical difficulties’ and relatively high proportions have profound, multiple or severe learning difficulties; around 30% of CP children are educated in special schools; CP children in main stream (primary, middle and secondary) schools tended to miss more school sessions (~50% more) than other children and lower percentages achieved the expected levels at key stages 2 and 3 and the Level 2 GCSE threshold.
 Conclusion/ImplicationsThis work demonstrates the utility of record-linkage for providing information to parents, carers and policymakers about education outcomes for this group of children to inform planning and service provision.