The relationship between inclusion and academic achievement in English mainstream schools

Abstract

This article presents the key findings and discusses the implications of a major study that explored the relationship between academic achievement and the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools in England. It is based on a statistical analysis of nationally held data on all pupils in England that is collected at the end of each of the 4 key stages, when pupils are aged 7, 11, 14, and 16. The analysis considered the relationship between academic achievement and inclusivity having controlled for a range of other variables. Findings indicate that there is no relationship between academic achievement and inclusion at the local authority (LA) level while there is a small but, for all practical purposes, insubstantial relationship at the school level. In addition, there is also a large degree of variation at the school level, suggesting strongly that there are other factors within a school's make up, rather than its degree of inclusivity, that impact on the average academic achievements of its pupils. The overall conclusion, therefore, is that mainstream schools need not be concerned about the potentially negative impact on the overall academic achievements of their pupils of including pupils with SEN in their schools.

Notes

1. The Department for Education and Skills [DfES], formally the Department for Education and Employment [DfEE], is the UK Government department responsible for education in England.

2. The Code of Practice (DfES, 2001b) on the identification and assessment of pupils with SEN requires schools and LEAs to identify pupils with SEN as being at different levels – School Action, School Action Plus, and those with a Statement. Those at School Action tend to have more minor difficulties and can typically be supported by school staff alone. Pupils on School Action Plus normally require support from outside agencies, who may work directly with the child or provide advice to staff and parents. The vast majority of these children (over 98%) have always been educated in mainstream schools. Pupils with a Statement have undergone a statutory assessment under the guidance of the local authority. They generally have more serious and long standing SEN and make up about 2.9% of the population. Sixty percent of pupils with Statements attend a mainstream school.

3. Full statistical tables, including a large amount of supplementary analysis, can be found in the project report (Dyson et al., 2004).