Perturbation Theory for Antisymmetric Tensor Fields in Four Dimensions

Perturbation theory for a class of topological field theories containing antisymmetric tensor fields is considered. These models are characterized by a supersymmetric structure which allows to establish their perturbative finiteness.Comment: 23 page

Possible Detection of Causality Violation in a Non-local Scalar Model

We consider the possibility that there may be causality violation detectable at higher energies. We take a scalar nonlocal theory containing a mass scale $\Lambda$ as a model example and make a preliminary study of how the causality violation can be observed. We show how to formulate an observable whose detection would signal causality violation. We study the range of energies (relative to $\Lambda$) and couplings to which the observable can be used.Comment: Latex, 30 page

Assessing the impact of Pupil Premium funding on primary school segregation and attainment

Using funding to improve educational outcomes is a common policy approach, usually assumed to be effective; but it is less commonly agreed how the money should be routed, and what it should be used for. This paper examines the possible impact of one approach wherein extra funding is provided by the state to schools, rather than teachers, families, or students. Pupil Premium funding has been provided to schools in England since 2011, to help overcome socio-economic segregation between schools, and reduce the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. Yet there is little international evidence that such a funding system can raise attainment directly. Some important stakeholders are now considering whether Pupil Premium should cease, be used for more general school financing, or have a new objective such as social mobility or hiring more teachers. It is therefore essential to know whether the policy has had a beneficial impact in the nine years since its inception. Evaluating the impact of such a funding policy is not easy because it is national and so there is no simple comparator group, and the relevant outcomes are also sensitive to demographic, economic and other concurrent policy changes. These issues are addressed using the National Pupil Database and Annual Schools Census, and by comparing the poverty gap in primary schools from 2006 to 2019, focusing on pupils who would have attracted Pupil Premium funding, if it existed, in any year and under any economic conditions. After 2010, the gap in segregation between these long-term disadvantaged pupils and their peers became substantially lower in Year 1 and Year 6, and their attainment improved relative to their peers at age 7. At age 11 there was also an improvement after 2010, but the assessment changed after 2014 and this complicated the pattern. A regression model also suggests that relative attainment for poor pupils improved markedly in the Pupil Premium era. Improvement was marked in regions like the North of England which have faced criticism for apparently “failing” their poor pupils. On this evidence, we argue for retaining the Pupil Premium policy

Best practice in conducting RCTs: Lessons learnt from an independent evaluation of the Response-to-Intervention programme

This paper presents the findings of the first independent UK evaluation of a large-scale randomised controlled trial of Response-to-Intervention, used as a catch-up literacy intervention. A total of 385 pupils in their final year of primary school (Year 6) were involved in the study (181 treatment and 204 control). These were identified as those at-risk of not achieving the threshold Level 4 in English at Key Stage 2. The pupils came from 49 schools across England. Twenty-seven schools were randomised to receive treatment immediately and 22 schools, which formed the control, were randomised to receive the intervention later. RTI was delivered in the summer term in preparation for pupil transfer to secondary school. The overall impact based on the standardised New Group Reading Test (NGRT) showed an ‘effect’ size of +0.19, and of +0.48 when considering only free school meal eligible pupils. However, these results must be viewed with considerable caution given the high attrition (over 25%) especially from the control group, and unclear identification of pupils eligible for the intervention. The fact that the evaluators did not have direct contact with schools when trying to identify eligible pupils, and that the developers wanted to use the pre-test to identify eligible pupils, led to this being a weak trial. The significance of the work therefore lies at least as much in the lessons learnt as in the headline figures. We learnt that ideally no more than two parties should be involved in communicating with schools, so that relevant instructions are passed quickly and acted upon promptly. This helps minimise the risk of misunderstanding and dropout post-allocation. Prior training on the technicalities of trials and research in general is necessary for both developers and any staff delivering the intervention so that all parties involved understand their commitment and the need to provide accurate and complete data. In future trials of RTI, it would be better for individual eligible pupils to be randomised rather than schools. RTI should ideally be given a whole year to allow the full cycle to be implemented, and it should be delivered daily for at least 30 minutes

The difficulties of judging what difference the Pupil Premium has made to school intakes and outcomes in England

Pupil Premium funding has been provided to schools in England since 2011, to help overcome socio-economic segregation between schools, and reduce the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers – nationally, regionally, and within individual schools. Yet there is little international evidence that such a funding system can raise attainment directly. Some important stakeholders are now considering whether Pupil Premium should cease, be used for more general school financing, or have a new objective such as social mobility. It is therefore essential to know whether the policy has had a beneficial impact in the eight years since its inception. Previous estimates suggest that segregation and the raw attainment gap have been reducing erratically and slowly since 2011, but that this is generally part of a longer-term historical trend and cannot simply be attributed to the Pupil Premium policy. However, evaluating the impact of such a funding policy is not that simple. It is fraught with difficulties because of changes over time in the economy, legal definitions of indicators of disadvantage, the prevalence of disadvantage, the metrics used, and in the ways attainment has been summarised. Previous research has generally not taken these into account and also largely ignores the length and depth of disadvantage, and the difference this makes to patterns of attainment. Hence, previous estimates of the attainment gap are probably insecure. To illustrate the problems arising in judging changes over time and between areas and schools in segregation and the attainment gap, data from the National Pupil Database and School-level Annual Schools Census are correlated, cross-plotted, and modelled using regression, and time series analyses. This paper introduces a new analysis that considers changes in the prevalence of FSM-eligibility, private school attendance, GDP and the duration of individual poverty. It illustrates the importance of these factors in an analysis of the attainment gap in each local authority in England. Net of such factors, the results show that segregation has declined unexpectedly since 2011, suggesting that Pupil Premium may be working. The Pupil Premium policy should remain until further research is complete, and in the meantime claims of the relative success and failure of schools and regions should take into account the cautions noted in this paper

Accelerated Reader as a literacy catch-up intervention during primary to secondary school transition phase

This paper describes an evaluation of an internet-based reading programme called Accelerated Reader (AR), which is widely used in UK schools and worldwide. AR is a whole-group reading management and monitoring programme that aims to stimulate the habit of independent reading among primary and secondary age pupils. The evaluation involved 349 pupils in Year 7 who had not achieved secure National Curriculum Level 4 in their Key Stage 2 results for English, randomised to two groups. The intervention group of 166 pupils was exposed to AR for 20 weeks, after which they recorded higher literacy scores in the New Group Reading Test (NGRT) post-test than the control group of 183 pupils (“effect” size of +0.24). The schools led the organisation and implementation of the intervention, and also conducted most elements of the evaluation, with advice from an expert external evaluation team. The process evaluation suggests that these schools were very capable of conducting evaluations of their own practice, given appropriate guidance

Does participation in uniformed group activities in school improve young people’s non-cognitive outcomes?

Recent concerns about extremism, and young people’s vulnerability to exposure of radicalisation and such negative influences, have increased interest in young people’s participation in civic activities. There is some evidence that such activities at school can have a positive influence on young people’s attitudes and behaviour, but such evidence has been largely based on correlational, small-scale and somewhat biased studies. This paper presents the results of the first large independent randomised controlled trial in the UK to test the impact of participation in uniformed group activities in school on young people’s social and reported behavioural outcomes. The one-year trial involved 7781 thirteen to fourteen year olds across 71 secondary schools in England. Outcomes were measured before and after the intervention using a bespoke questionnaire survey. Attrition was negligible. The results showed positive ‘effects’ on a range of wider outcomes including self-confidence, teamwork, resilience, career aspirations, empathy and self-reported charitable activities. These effects are somewhat muted since not all pupils in the treatment schools actually took part in the intervention. Process evaluation suggests that the intervention was well-received, but strong leadership support is crucial for successful implementation. The findings provide evidence of the promise of the benefits of such uniformed group involvement for young people. If these activities are deemed worthwhile in their own right, because of the costs, then there is enough evidence here to pursue such a course

The difficulties of judging what difference the Pupil Premium has made to school intakes and outcomes in England.

Pupil Premium funding has been provided to schools in England since 2011, to help overcome socio-economic segregation between schools, and reduce the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers – nationally, regionally, and within individual schools. Yet there is little international evidence that such a funding system can raise attainment directly. Some important stakeholders are now considering whether Pupil Premium should cease, be used for more general school financing, or have a new objective such as social mobility. It is therefore essential to know whether the policy has had a beneficial impact in the eight years since its inception. Previous estimates suggest that segregation and the raw attainment gap have been reducing erratically and slowly since 2011, but that this is generally part of a longer-term historical trend and cannot simply be attributed to the Pupil Premium policy. However, evaluating the impact of such a funding policy is not that simple. It is fraught with difficulties because of changes over time in the economy, legal definitions of indicators of disadvantage, the prevalence of disadvantage, the metrics used, and in the ways attainment has been summarised. Previous research has generally not taken these into account and also largely ignores the length and depth of disadvantage, and the difference this makes to patterns of attainment. Hence, previous estimates of the attainment gap are probably insecure. To illustrate the problems arising in judging changes over time and between areas and schools in segregation and the attainment gap, data from the National Pupil Database and School-level Annual Schools Census are correlated, cross-plotted, and modelled using regression, and time series analyses. This paper introduces a new analysis that considers changes in the prevalence of FSM-eligibility, private school attendance, GDP and the duration of individual poverty. It illustrates the importance of these factors in an analysis of the attainment gap in each local authority in England. Net of such factors, the results show that segregation has declined unexpectedly since 2011, suggesting that Pupil Premium may be working. The Pupil Premium policy should remain until further research is complete, and in the meantime claims of the relative success and failure of schools and regions should take into account the cautions noted in this paper

Diffeomorphism on Horizon as an Asymptotic Isometry of Schwarzschild Black Hole

It is argued that the diffeomorphism on the horizontal sphere can be regarded as a nontrivial asymptotic isometry of the Schwarzschild black hole. We propose a new boundary condition of asymptotic metrics near the horizon and show that the condition admits the local time-shift and diffeomorphism on the horizon as the asymptotic symmetry.Comment: 18 pages, no figures, corrected some typo

Improving the Efficiency of an Ideal Heat Engine: The Quantum Afterburner

By using a laser and maser in tandem, it is possible to obtain laser action in the hot exhaust gases involved in heat engine operation. Such a "quantum afterburner" involves the internal quantum states of working gas atoms or molecules as well as the techniques of cavity quantum electrodynamics and is therefore in the domain of quantum thermodynamics. As an example, it is shown that Otto cycle engine performance can be improved beyond that of the "ideal" Otto heat engine.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure