Attainment Grouping as self-fulfilling prophesy? A mixed methods exploration of self confidence and set level among Year 7 students

“Setting tends to have negative effects on attainment and confidence (Education Endowment Foundation, 2015; Francis et al., 2017, 2020), and we suggest that social identity threat is part of the reason why.”

“, we interpret the present findings as adding further weight to existing evidence regarding the negative effects of setting for those placed in the lower sets (Francis et al. 2017; Ireson, Hallam, and Hurley 2005; Steenbergen-Hu, Makel, and Olszewski-Kubilius 2016).”

“…large-scale mixedmethods study is funded by the Education Endowment Foundation and explores setting and mixed-attainment practices in English and mathematics, and their potential impact on student outcomes and experiences of schooling (see Francis et al., 2017b for more background to the study).”

“However, attainment grouping has been repeatedly demonstrated to be associated with inequitable outcomes in both achievement and self-confidence (Francis et al., 2016, 2017; Higgins et al., 2015; Kutnick et al., 2005; Muijs and Dunne, 2010).”

“…work, while those in the low set, and often already disadvantaged groups of students, proceed at a slower pace and receive less stimulating teaching (Boaler, 1997a, 1997b; Boaler et al., 2000; Francis et al., 2017; Mazenod et al., 2019; Wiliam & Bartholomew, 2004; Wilkinson & Penney, 2014).”

“Research has shown that teachers’ expectations and their differentiation practices, in particular when they apply ability-grouping, have negative effects on students, in particular on the low-achieving students (see, for example, [22]).”

“We reaffirm policy conceptualised as a process with many points of contestation, negotiation and mediation, and the accompanying need for closer examination of the dynamic between what Gale (2003) termed the ‘who and how of policy’ (original emphasis).”

“The labelling of students implicit in setting can be seen as relating to them having “fixed ability” (Francis et al., 2017, p. 103).”

“While the Welsh education system is comparatively more similar to the English one, there are no grammar schools in Wales.”

“First, the impact of labeling on pupils’ self- confidence can act as a self- fulfilling prophecy for the low attainers who, once placed in a low attainment group, show poorer progress compared to those in higher ability groups (Francis et al., 2017).”

“…setting has little overall impact on students’ attainment levels and often impacts negatively on students’ self-esteem and attitudes towards learning (Boaler, 1997a, 1997b; Boaler, Wiliam, & Brown, 2000; Francis et al., 2017, Francis et al., 2020; Higgins et al., 2015; Wiliam & Bartholomew, 2004).”

“Class grouping practices shaped students’ views of themselves and their capacity to achieve academically (Francis et al. 2017).”

“…and teacher judgements as candidate factors that may influence children’s maths self-concept during primary school ‘Ability’ grouping Research has long indicated that ‘ability’ grouping shapes children’s educational pathways (Francis et al., 2017a; Ireson & Hallam, 1999; Sukhandan & Lee, 1998).”

“For example, they are more likely to be taught by less qualified staff, such as teaching assistants or newly qualified teachers (in secondary schools), alongside an increased possibility of being misallocated to ‘ability’ groups (Hallam et al. 2003; Marks 2016; Francis et al. 2017).”

“…have discussed potential didactical and socioemotional advantages and disadvantages of various types of differentiation and achievement grouping (e.g., Campbell, 2021; Francis et al., 2017; Marks, 2013; McGillicuddy & Devine, 2020; Tieso, 2003; Tomlinson et al., 2003; Van Geel et al., 2018).”

“4 As some of us have highlighted previously (Francis et al. 2017; Francis, Taylor, and Tereshchenko 2020), it is pupils from socially disadvantaged groups, and from certain minority ethnic groups, who are over-represented in low attainment groups and hence most likely to be subject to these…”

“…by the applicable C reative C om m ons L icense research had found that such children experienced a plethora of negative experiences including feelings of shame, stigmatisation, failure, upset and low self-esteem (Francis et al., 2017; McGillicuddy & Devine, 2020; Wilkinson & Penney, 2014).”

“There is a risk that these labels become self-fulfilling prophecies as pupil and teacher perceptions shape the development of learners’ identities (Francis et al., 2017, Francis et al., 2020).”

“Similar conclusions are highlighted by a study with seventh-grade students focused on self-con fi dence (Francis et al., 2017) and another focused on hyperactivity and behavioral issues in primary schools in England (Papachristou et al., 2022).”

“Some studies have suggested that disadvantaged student groups with lower socioeconomic levels are more likely to be assigned to the low-ability group [4,5].”

“The children in our sample had been listed as attaining below expectations and relevant research has suggested that this status might limit their participation in schooling (Bibby, 2009; Darragh, 2015; Francis et al., 2017; Marks, 2016; McGillicuddy & Devine, 2018).”

“Francis et al. (2017) posed to analyze whether young people's self-confidence in their academic abilities is related to achievement and whether this generates a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“As Francis et al. (2017) noted, this accelerates students’ self-perceptions as “better” or “worse,” influencing their engagement, effort, and academic trajectory—creating a mutually reinforcing cycle in which organizational structures, teacher beliefs, and student identities become tightly…”

“…of grouping learners according to their perceived ‘ability’ and can take the form of setting learners for specific subjects, streaming across a number of subjects, or less formally, organising learners into within-class groups, for example, according to table arrangements (Francis et al. 2017).”

“The modern Chinese liberal educational thought is not a product of the Chinese culture but the western educational concept that is gradually introduced to China in the cultural exchange process of “eastward transmission of western sciences”[4][5].”

“Additionally, since motivation and behaviour are correlated with set level and pupils behave in accordance with their set label (Francis et al. 2017b), lowest set pupils’ behaviour may deteriorate once set.”

“Everyday pedagogical practices—including questioning strategies, feedback specificity, grouping patterns, and recognition of contributions—cumulatively shape students’ perceptions of belonging and suitability for particular disciplinary domains [9,10].”

“…study links ability grouping with both self-esteem and confidence, Hendricks (2009) whose study’s focus is on the relationship between the ability practice and self-efficacy, and last but not least, Francis et al. (2017) whose focus is on self-confidence and how it is affected by ability grouping.”

“The same research group also found an association between set level and general self confidence (Francis et al. 2017).”

“As mentioned previously, it is possible that placement in special classrooms impacts student self-confidence in learning, leading to poorer academic outcomes and greater risk of school dropout (Francis et al., 2017).”

“…middle school English programs may have the highest rates of students enrolled in accelerated or AP English courses in high school because, according to B. Francis et al. (2017), the measure of a student’s academic and personal self-confidence is significantly related to their tracking label.”

“Students are aware that they are being labelled in a streamed situation (Francis et al., 2017 ).”

“Work by Hamilton and others (Francis et al. 2017b; Hamilton and O’Hara 2011; Oakes 2005) highlights the influential nature of ability concepts on teacher expectations, classroom judgements and children’s access to and engagement with high-stakes testing (Hamilton and Brown 2005).”