The achievement gap: The impact of between-class attainment grouping on pupil attainment and educational equity over time

Despite extensive research on attainment grouping, the impact of attainment grouping on pupil attainment remains poorly understood and contested. This paper presents evidence from a study conducted with 2944 12–13 year olds, from 76 schools in England, who were allocated to between-class attainment groups (‘setting’) in English and mathematics over the first 2 years of secondary schooling. After controlling for prior attainment, pupils in the top set performed significantly better than pupils in the middle and bottom sets in both English and mathematics. The findings indicate a widening gap in attainment, especially in the case of English. Findings, especially in the case of mathematics, provide more evidence of a relative benefit for pupils placed in top sets than a relative detriment for those in bottom sets.     

Training and Technological Change: Case Evidence from the Printing Industry

This article examines the connection between training and technological change by looking at the printing industry through the experiences of six companies. The study revealed that these companies hold training to be strategic, not just peripheral. They invest heavily in the retraining of workers, using a multiplicity of strategies, including training by equipment manufacturers, OJT, peer tutoring, teamwork, customized training at vocational colleges, and tuition reimbursement. The study adds an empirical dimension to what is largely a rhetorical literature on the connection between technological change, training, and competitiveness.