Learning to learn: improving attainment, closing the gap at Key Stage 3

ABSTRACT

In 2010, a comprehensive secondary school in the south of England implemented a whole-school approach to ‘learning to learn’ (L2L). Drawing on a range of evidence-based practices, a team of teachers worked collaboratively to design and deliver a taught L2L curriculum to all students throughout Key Stage 3. In total, the first cohort of students (n = 118) received more than 400 taught lessons throughout years 7–9. The impact of L2L on student attainment at Sea View was evaluated over those 3 years, using the pre-L2L cohort as a matched control group (n = 148). By the end of year 9, a significantly higher proportion of L2L students were either hitting or exceeding their target grades, compared with the control group. There was also a significant closing of the attainment gap between students eligible for the pupil premium and their peers (2%, vs. 25% in the control group). Key features of the L2L approach at Sea View are considered in terms of similarities and differences with other L2L approaches. Conclusions are drawn that the success of this approach lies in the combination of multiple effective practices. Recommendations for further research and development of the field are proposed.

KEYWORDS:

• Pupil premium
• learning to learn
• exploratory talk
• metacognition
• self-regulation
• transfer

Acknowledgments

The authors want to give their heartfelt thanks to SM, for having the vision, and to KM and the L2L team at Sea View, for making it happen.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

James Mannion

James Mannion is a doctoral student at the University of Cambridge, and a founding director of Praxis Education CIC.

Neil Mercer

Neil Mercer is emeritus professor of education at the University of Cambridge, where he is also director of the centre Oracy@Cambridge and a life fellow of the college Hughes Hall.