Barnardos
Title
Baseline Survey and Literature Review Focusing on Educational Outcomes among Primary School Children Living in Disadvantaged Areas in Northern Ireland
Research Team
Dr Sarah Miller (Joint PI), Dr Laura Lundy (Joint PI), Dr Lisa Maguire, Ms Lesley Emerson, Professor Paul Connolly (PI)
Timescale
October 2007 – July 2008
Funder
Aims and Objectives
The aim of the baseline survey and literature review is to provide quality evidence to inform the design and development of a new out-of-schools service Barnardo’s Northern Ireland wish to develop to help improve educational attainment in disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland. Within all of this, there is a commitment to ensuring young children’s participation in relation to the design, analysis and interpretation of the evidence produced.
The main objectives of the survey and literature review were to:
1. Provide quality baseline data on the distribution of educational and psychosocial outcomes among Year 4 and Year 7 children in schools that have low educational attainment and are located in deprived areas.
2. Determine how these outcomes relate together and what socio-demographic variables might be associated with these.
3. Identify levels of need in relation to the outcomes in order to aid Barnardo's in deciding where best to target their intervention.
4. Review the research evidence on ‘out-of-school-hours’ learning (OSHL), ‘community school’ type interventions and how to engage ‘hard to reach’ families in order to gain information on ‘what works’ and what is best practice in this area.
In order that the research and service design process would comply with Article 12 of the UNCRC, the project team established a Children’s Advisory Group (CAG). The remit of the group was:
1. To advise on the research process, including the design and analysis of the base-line survey and literature review.
2. To provide advice on the main issues relating to educational underachievement and social disadvantage.
3. To identify potential services which might address the problems.
The CAG were not research subjects. They were invited to participate in the project in their capacity as a key stakeholder group with particular expertise on the issues under consideration.
Methodology
28 primary schools from across Northern Ireland participated in the survey. They were randomly selected, stratified by area board, and were categorised as schools in areas of high deprivation (n=15) and low deprivation (n= 13) based on the level of free school meals uptake and whether the school was located within a neighborhood renewal area. In total 1081 pupils took part in the survey: 527 in Year 4 and 554 in Year 7. The following data was collected on all 1081 pupils: educational attainment in maths and English; aspirations for the future; enjoyment of education; physical wellbeing; psychological wellbeing; social acceptance; peer relationships; school environment and autonomy and parent relations.
Two literature reviews were conducted: one by Mark Atkinson, Ruth Hart and Dick Downing at the NFER specifically on the effectiveness of ‘out-of-school-hours’ learning (OSHL) and ‘community school’ type interventions; and one by Karen Winter of the School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work at Queen’s on how to engage ‘hard to reach’ families.
Outputs
Final reports on the baseline survey and two literature reviews were submitted to the funders in July 2008.
Further Information
For more information contact Dr Sarah Miller
