'It Would Have Been Bad': The Development of Historical Imagination and Empathy in a Group of Secondary Aged Pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties

Andrew Turner, who teaches in a school for pupils with severe learning difficulties, considers the teaching of history by teachers of such pupils and suggests that the skills of imaginative reconstruction and empathy are relatively neglected areas, particularly when dealing with distant historical periods. Recent research with mainstream primary pupils illustrates the possible parallels and the article gives details of a small-scale study of one group of Key Stage 3 pupils.     

Developing the nurturing school

Abstract

This article describes how establishing a nurture group in a challenging infant school had a profound effect on whole school development. Since May 2000 the nurture group has been the hub of an evolutionary process, which the author was able to experience at first hand as the nurture group teacher. Under her guidance, all mainstream classrooms became increasingly nurturing and the impact of the nurture group practices became entrenched in the policies and practices of the whole school. This has had a significant, positive impact for a number of the most vulnerable pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and their mainstream peers. The mainstream application of these principles supported the school's evolution from special measures in 1997 to its current position, judged by Ofsted as a good school, representing good value for money and very effective in helping pupils with special educational needs.     

A Social Development Curriculum: Applying Nurture Group Principles and Practices to Support Socially and Emotionally Vulnerable Children Within Mainstream Classrooms

Rebecca Doyle set up the first nurture group in Thetford Education Action Zone in 2000. In 2001, she published an account of her work to reintegrate pupils from the nurture group into the mainstream of their infant school in the pages of BJSE. In this article, Rebecca Doyle describes how mainstream class teachers requested further support in working with socially and emotionally vulnerable children in their classes using the principles and practices from the nurture group. A social development curriculum was written to support this interest, offering mainstream staff a planning tool to complement their existing schemes of work and to help in the drive to make the curriculum appropriate for every child, regardless of their barriers to learning. This article indicates that mainstream staff are now able to bring the increasing knowledge of nurture group working to the fore in their planning, supporting the development of whole-school nurturing approaches. The social development curriculum has become a well-used document alongside current planning frameworks, supporting staff in meeting the diverse needs of pupils within mainstream classrooms with minimal cost and little additional workload.
In closing her article, Rebecca Doyle argues that the social development curriculum has had a positive impact upon the pupils in her school and upon her colleagues on the staff. She is pursuing her research into nurturing approaches through her membership of the National Nurture Group Network and her studies for a higher degree at the University of East Anglia.     

‘THE BREAD,THE JAM AND SOME COFFEE IN THE MORNING’: PERCEPTIONS OF A NURTURE GROUP

The provision of nurture groups has increasingly been advocated as a strategy for meeting the needs of young emotionally disturbed children (DfEE, 1998a, p.44). This article is based on a qualitative evaluation of a nurture group in a primary school situated in an inner‐city area of severe deprivation. Though criteria for success varied, the nurture group was viewed as effective from the different viewpoints of all involved, including teachers, parents and pupils. However, questions are raised about the group in terms of policies of inlcusion and teacher‐parent partnerships, suggesting that exclusion within mainstream schools may be fostered under the flag of inclusion.     

Evaluating the Performances of Minority Ethnic Pupils in Secondary Schools

This paper investigates the performances and the progress made by pupils of minority ethnic origin between Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 in British secondary schools. The data used in this paper were collected as part of a PhD study by Haque (1999). The paper discusses findings from multilevel modelling analyses carried out on 12 of the 20 schools in the research study. In particular, it reveals that whilst differences exist in the performances and the progress of pupils of minority ethnic background in their Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 examinations, these differences become substantially reduced when background factors (other than ethnic origin) are taken into account. The paper concludes that in order to identify accurately and reduce the nature of disadvantages for pupils from particular minority ethnic groups, policy-makers, schools and teachers need to differentiate these groups beyond their national origin.     

Self‐esteem groups for secondary pupils with dyslexia

This paper describes group work developed to enhance pupil self‐esteem. The intervention was originally developed in response to an identified need that arose in a resourced provision for pupils identified as having dyslexia, attached to a mainstream secondary school. However, more recently the same intervention has been found to be beneficial for pupils in mainstream provision. Feedback from pupils indicated that they found participating in a group very enjoyable, and that it had been useful to work with others who had similar difficulties. The staff involved reported a variety of beneficial outcomes for those who had taken part and requested that such groups become a regular feature of the psychology service to the school. A self‐rating scale administered prior to and following one group showed a rise in self‐esteem scores for the group as a whole over the course of the six‐week intervention.     

Analysis of National Value‐added Datasets to Assess the Impact of Selection on Pupil Performance

The impact of selective education systems on pupil performance has long been a contentious issue, but the advent of national value‐added datasets linking performance across key stages for the majority of pupils in England has enabled detailed analysis to throw some light on the issues. The main finding has been a distinct difference in Key Stage 3 test levels for pupils on the ‘borderline’ between grammar school and secondary modern school, even when prior attainment is taken into account. Possible explanations for this apparent ‘grammar school effect’ are discussed.     

Resourced provision: the impact of inclusive practices on a mainstream primary school

This personal account from a special educational needs co‐ordinator illustrates the negative impact that resourced provision has had on one school. The provision caters for children with communication and interaction difficulties and is housed in a mainstream primary school. For this school, while the provision has had a beneficial impact on the development of inclusive values among pupils, it has also led to a decline in the overall effectiveness of the school. The achievement data of pupils in the provision has had a detrimental impact on overall school performance data. Current narrow measures of school effectiveness in England mean that schools with increasingly diverse student populations can pay the price for their commitment to inclusion, as this example illustrates.     

Evaluating the teaching and learning experience for the child with dyslexia in special and mainstream settings in Ireland

This study examines and evaluates special provision for pupils with dyslexia in three different settings: reading schools, reading units and mainstream support. The research focused on the teaching and learning context for pupils with dyslexia, the support teacher, the mainstream teacher and the experience of the student. The main participants were teachers and tutors supporting pupils with dyslexia, and the parents of these children. Survey methods included questionnaires, focus group discussions, interviews and quantitative data on pupils' reading attainment. In addition, a total of six schools, two representing each model of support, were selected as case studies. This article reports part of a larger survey, which evaluated the effectiveness of three models of special provision for children with dyslexia in primary school. The study shows that there are academic and social benefits for the child with dyslexia who is enrolled in a special setting. However, placement in a reading school or reading unit per se does not guarantee that a child will ‘catch up’ with his or her peers. The findings reported a similarity in the methods and practices teachers use in both mainstream and special settings. The discussion suggests that if teachers are to ‘catch them before they fall’ there are serious questions that must be asked about how we are teaching basic literacy skills. The findings suggest an urgent need for a more balanced approach to teaching reading and writing.     

Classroom conditions to secure enjoyment and achievement: the pupils' voice. Listening to the voice of Every child matters

This paper argues that pupil voice and the active engagement of pupils in shaping their own educational experience are integral to the success of the ‘Enjoy and Achieve’ strand of the Every child matters: Change for children programme. Through accessing the voice of Key Stage 2 pupils, insight was gained into what pupils believe to be the ideal ‘classroom conditions’ which enable them to enjoy and achieve at school. Pupil voice was accessed using an innovative form of group interview incorporating an Ishikawa or fishbone tool. The data was collected from 180 pupils, from Years 3–6 (aged 7–11) in a UK Junior school. The findings identify eight ‘classroom conditions’ which pupils see as being critical for them to be able to enjoy and achieve at school. Two of these ‘classroom conditions’ do not appear to be supported by previous research.     

Secondary transition experiences for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASCs)

This research explored the views and experiences of key stakeholders regarding inclusion into secondary phase schooling for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASCs). Six Year 6 pupils met the criteria for admission to a mainstream secondary school with attached specialist provision for ASCs. Three pupils transferred to this school, whilst three transferred to their local mainstream secondary school. Qualitative methodology was used to collect views and experiences both before and after transition. Interviews were recorded and transcribed and data analysed using a form of thematic analysis. Emerging categories and themes provided several indicators for good practice regarding the transition of this group of pupils. Further study will establish the consistency of these factors within other contexts and settings.     

How young children view mathematical representations: a study using eye-tracking technology

This paper reports on a study which investigated the support needs of pupils in mainstream school with a chronic illness or physical disability. The research was carried out in three local education authorities covering both rural and urban areas. In-depth, qualitative data were collected from 33 pupils in secondary school; 58 parents of primary and secondary school pupils; and 34 primary and secondary school teachers. Overall, the data from young people suggest variability in the support offered to pupils by teachers, even by teachers within the same school, and highlights the importance of teachers' awareness and understanding of special health needs. A number of areas where young people need support from teachers were identified, including: dealing with school absence; taking part in school activities; peer relationships; explaining the condition to other pupils; and having someone to talk to about health-related worries. Data from teachers and parents indicate that school staff need assistance with obtaining health-related information; ensuring health-related information is passed between and within schools; providing emotional support; the provision of medical care; and coordinating support for this group of pupils. The implications of the findings for teachers, schools and educational policy are discussed.     

Progress of pupils attending resourced provision for specific learning difficulties

An analysis of the improvement in attainments of 109 students attending specialist-resourced provision for specific learning difficulties (SpLD) attached to mainstream secondary schools was conducted as they progressed through Key Stages 3 and 4. Steady progress was made in terms of reading accuracy, reading comprehension, spelling ability and rate of reading. The ratio gains for these skills varied from 0.68 to 0.91. Additionally, self-efficacy was monitored and also showed a slight improvement. This study therefore provides some suggestion of the progress that might reasonably be expected of pupils starting secondary school with significant literacy difficulties.     

Exploring the impact of supplementary schools on Black and Minority Ethnic pupils’ mainstream attainment

This paper reports findings from a study commissioned by the (then) Department for Children, Schools and Families. The research mapped the provision, and explored the impact, of supplementary schools and aimed specifically to develop further understanding as to how supplementary schools might raise the attainment of Black and Minority Ethnic pupils. Drawing on a national survey and case study data from 12 supplementary schools, we highlight a range of perceived impacts identified by teachers, pupils and parents and problematise the concept of impact. We identify the unique contribution and impact that supplementary schools make to the mainstream school attainment of pupils from diverse (linguistic, cultural, ethnic) backgrounds. We suggest that there is much to be learnt by the mainstream school sector about the difference supplementary school education makes to minority ethnic children, while questioning whether mainstream indicators of impact should be applied to supplementary schools.     

Effect of single‐sex education on progress in GCSE

Multilevel modelling was carried out on national value‐added data to study the effects of single‐sex education on the progress of pupils from 2002 Key Stage 3 to 2004 GCSE. The analysis suggests that pupils in a selective environment achieve higher progress in single‐sex schools; however, the advantage of single‐sex schooling seems to decrease with increasing pupils' prior attainment (for girls) or with increasing school ‘selectiveness’ (for boys). These phenomena might be a result of a ceiling effect, as pupils with high prior attainment at Key Stage 3 cannot improve as much as pupils with lower initial attainment. There was also strong evidence suggesting that pupils achieve higher progress in the independent sector compared to grammar education. On the other hand, in a non‐selective environment only pupils with lower prior attainment and those attending schools with a full range of abilities seem to benefit from single‐sex education.     

The Literacy Skills of Language-Impaired Children: Time for 'joined up' thinking?

Relatively little research has been completed into the nature of the association between language and literacy in language-impaired children. This study examines a group of children who attended language unit provision between the ages of 3 years 6 months and 7 years in an inner city education authority. At follow-up, the children were between 7 years 10 months and 13 years 3 months. Of the 24 children, five had transferred to mainstream school, 12 went to a Key Stage 2 language unit and seven went to special school. The links between the assessments of language, phonological skills and literacy development are described. The educational outcomes for this group are considered. Proposals are made for closer collaboration between educational psychologists, and speech and language therapists in the initial identification of children with language impairment, and the continued communication with teachers, so that the language and literacy development of such children can be viewed within the whole teaching context.     

Understanding nurturing practices — a comparison of the use of strategies likely to enhance self-esteem in nurture groups and normal classrooms

Nurture groups are now being established in many parts of the UK, as research evidence continues to confirm both their effectiveness and cost-efficiency in helping children with emotional and behavioural difficulties to remain within mainstream schools. Their conceptual framework is based on Bowlby's attachment theory, in which impaired early care is seen to have led to low self-esteem, mistrust of others and behaviour that impedes success in school. The nurture group provides the opportunity to re-experience early nurturing in a warm and accepting environment, which fosters positive self-regard and the development of secure relationships with the nurture group staff. The study reported in this article sought to determine a reason for the effectiveness of this early intervention by focusing on the enhancement of self-esteem. John Colwell, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at De Montfort University, and Tina O'Connor, a teacher at Oakthorpe Primary School in the London Borough of Enfield, conducted an observational study of nurture groups and normal classrooms in order to compare climates in terms of self-esteem enhancement strategies. Results confirmed that teachers' verbal and non-verbal communications in the nurture group were much more positive and more likely to enhance the self-esteem of pupils. In contrast, the communications of normal classroom teachers were found to be less likely to create an environment conducive to fostering positive self-esteem. The authors conclude that their evidence supports conceptual explanations of the effectiveness of nurture groups and propose that mainstream schools could become more inclusive if whole-school nurturing approaches were adopted.     

Imagining the past: the use of archive pictures in secondary school history textbooks

This article examines the use of archive pictures (paintings, photographs and engravings) in school textbooks, in the controversial setting of the Key Stage 3 (11–14) and Key Stage 4 (14–16) topics of the American West and the Native Peoples of North America, where pictorial images have created powerful stereotypes. Attention is drawn to the 1994 Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority's report on history textbooks, which criticized the lack of supporting information for archive pictures. Textbooks written prior to the 1994 report are contrasted with those written since. It is noted that despite the report and recent historical interest in the study of representations, there has been little improvement in textbook design. The methods of analysis that should be used on paintings, photographs and engravings are explained in some detail, and the effect of not providing the essential background for pupils to develop a reasoned discussion of their value as historical evidence is demonstrated through a number of case-studies. Finally a checklist is provided for authors, publishers, teachers, trainee teachers and teacher educators to help them incorporate essential background material, in order to ensure that pupils can bring the same critical awareness to pictorial images as they have become accustomed to with written sources.     

The effectiveness and rationale of the 'nurture group' approach to helping children with emotional and behavioural difficulties remain within mainstream education

Researchers, policy makers and practitioners continue to be interested in the impact of nurture groups on the inclusion of young children with emotional and behavioural difficulties in mainstream schools. Nurture groups were originally established in schools in the London Borough of Enfield in the 1980s and it is now possible to review evidence of their effectiveness in both the short and long term. In this article, Tina O'lConnor, teacher at Oakthorpe Primary School, London Borough of Enfield, and John Colwell, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at De Montfort University, compare scores on the Developmental Diagnostic Profile for a sample of pupils on entry to a nurture group; on exit; and after at least two years of mainstream reintegration. Their work reveals evidence of improvements in both the short and long term. In discussing their findings, the authors call for more in-depth, longitudinal research into nurture groups and the development and impact of whole school nurturing approaches.     

Developing mainstream resource provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder: parent and pupil perceptions

The diverse needs of pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have led to a continuum of educational provision being promoted in many countries, and which is often developed at a local level. The majority of children and young people with ASD in the UK attend mainstream schools, and resourced mainstream schools are increasingly part of this continuum of provision. These schools offer additional environmental modifications and adult support over and above that normally provided by mainstream schools. How parents and pupils perceive such provisions has not previously been investigated. The current study was designed to explore the perceptions of parents and pupils in five primary and three secondary resource provision schools in one Local Authority during the pupils’ first year at the provisions. A series of interviews took place with 16 parents and 9 pupils during this initial year. Data were analysed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecosystemic theory was used to conceptualise and organise the complex interactions between home, local education systems, school systems and sub-systems, and their impact on pupil outcomes over time. Findings and implications are discussed in relation to theory and practice.