Grouping
- Selective schooling refers to a system of differentiation where a child has a choice of school types dependent on passing or indeed failing an entrance examination. In the UK, there are comprehensive schools in most geographical areas which all secondary aged pupils can attend. However, 5% of state secondary schools are grammar schools, which pupils have to pass an exam at 11 years old to attend. This system is argued to be meritocratic but very little impact on social mobility has been evidenced.
- Tracking and streaming are very similar. They both refer to the practice whereby pupils are assessed for ability across a number of academic subjects, and assigned a track or stream on this cumulative evaluation.
- Setting refers to the practice of assigning a class according to a child’s assessed capabilities, one subject at a time. The UK uses this form of within-class grouping more than any other country in the world and at an earlier age. This has the apparent advantage of providing a homogeneous class of similar ability, but in reality, every class is a mixed ability class, in that no two pupils have identical skill sets. Setting has been found to be strongly influenced by issues of class, race and behaviour.
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