Diversity, choice and the quasi-market: An empirical analysis of secondary education policy in England

This paper investigates the extent to which exam performance at the end of compulsory education has been affected by three major education reforms: the introduction of a quasi-market following the Education Reform Act (1988); the specialist schools initiative introduced in 1994; and the Excellence in Cities programme introduced in 1999. We use data for all state-funded secondary schools in England over the period 1992-2006. The empirical analysis, which is based on the application of panel data methods, indicates that the government and its agencies have substantially overestimated the benefits flowing from these three major reforms. Only about one-third of the improvement in GCSE exam scores during 1992-2006 is directly attributable to the combined effect of the education reforms. The distributional consequences of the policy, however, are estimated to have been favourable, with the greatest gains being achieved by schools with the highest proportion of pupils from poor families. But there is evidence that resources have not been allocated efficiently.

Funding, school specialisation and test scores

We evaluate the effect on test scores of a UK education reform which has increased <br/>funding of schools and encouraged their specialisation in particular subject areas, enhancing pupil choice and competition between schools. Using several data sets, we apply cross-sectional and difference-in-differences matching models, to confront issues of the choice of an appropriate control group and different forms of selection bias. We demonstrate a statistically significant causal effect of the specialist schools policy on test score outcomes. The duration of specialisation matters, and we consistently find that the longer a school has been specialist the larger is the impact on test scores. We finally disentangle the funding effect from a specialisation effect, and the latter occurs yielding relatively large improvements in test scores in particular subjects.

Share-Net: Progress or Paradox

This paper is drawn from research that led to the development of Share-Net, an informal, participatory network with the purpose of developing environmental education resource materials for teachers and community groups. The research took the form of a case study that was located within the flow of events, emerging issues and problems within Share-Net. The research led to changing orientations to resource materials design, to research processes and indeed to environmental education

Relative pay and job satisfaction: some new evidence

This paper investigates the determinants of job satisfaction using data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study. The determinants of interest include actual pay, relative pay, hours of work, job autonomy and several personal characteristics. We also investigate the determinants of satisfaction with pay conditional on a worker's satisfaction with other domains of job satisfaction, such as satisfaction with job security. We find that relative pay is statistically significant but that its effect on satisfaction with pay is relatively small. Job autonomy has a powerful influence on satisfaction with pay. So too does being black.

The English Baccalaureate: how not to measure school performance

This paper challenges the view held by the UK Government that the introduction of the English Baccalaureate will lead to an improvement in educational outcomes in secondary education. Evidence is presented to show that this new qualification is biased against disadvantaged pupils from low-income families, pupils with special needs, and pupils who have little inclination to study a foreign language. Furthermore, the English Baccalaureate is deeply flawed when used as a school performance indicator and should not be included in the School Performance Tables.

Influence of a knee brace intervention on perceived pain and patellofemoral loading in recreational athletes

Background: The current investigation aimed to investigate the effects of an intervention using knee bracing on pain symptoms and patellofemoral loading in male and female recreational athletes. Methods: Twenty participants (11 males & 9 females) with patellofemoral pain were provided with a knee brace which they wore for a period of 2 weeks. Lower extremity kinematics and patellofemoral loading were obtained during three sport specific tasks, jog, cut and single leg hop. In addition their self-reported knee pain scoreswere examined using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. Datawere collected before and after wearing the knee brace for 2 weeks. Findings: Significant reductions were found in the run and cut movements for peak patellofemoral force/pressure and in all movements for the peak knee abduction moment when wearing the brace. Significant improvements were also shown for Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscale symptoms (pre: male= 70.27, female = 73.22 & post: male = 85.64, female = 82.44), pain (pre: male = 72.36, female = 78.89 & post: male = 85.73, female = 84.20), sport (pre: male = 60.18, female = 59.33 & post: male = 80.91, female =79.11), function and daily living (pre: male = 82.18, female = 86.00 & post: male = 88.91, female = 90.00) and quality of life (pre: male= 51.27, female= 54.89 & post: male= 69.36, female= 66.89). Interpretation:Male and female recreational athleteswho suffer frompatellofemoral pain can be advised to utilise knee bracing as a conservative method to reduce pain symptoms