1 School effects and equity gaps in educational attainment and progress at age 11 Presentation to the DfE PLASC User Group (PLUG), Institute of Education, University of London 6 April 2011 Professor Steve Strand University of Warwick steve.strand@warwick.ac.uk 024 7652 2197 Equity issues in educational attainment • Recent government research reviews indicate continued relevance of equity issues in educational attainment: – DfES (2006). Ethnicity and education. London: DfES. – DCSF (2007). Gender and education: the evidence on pupils in England. London: DCSF. – DCSF (2009). Deprivation and education: The evidence on pupils in England, Foundation Stage to Key Stage 4. London: DCSF. • Reflected in monitoring and ‘narrowing the gaps’ agenda: – Government objectives, e.g. DSO4 & PSA11 “Narrow the gap in educational achievement between children from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers”. – Target setting requirements on LAs for underperforming groups – National strategies & monitoring of LA and individual schools ‘FSM gap’.