Pupil grouping strategies and practices at Key Stage 2 and 3: case studies of 24 schools in England

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) commissioned the University of Brighton (with partner universities Sussex, Cambridge and the Institute of Education, London) to undertake a two-part investigation into the effects of pupil grouping in schools at Key Stages (KS) 2 and 3. The two-part investigation provided: (1) an extended review of the literature that included an analysis and synthesis of current literature that would identify types of pupil grouping suited to particular pupils, the range of organisational policies regarding pupil grouping within schools that are related to different levels of performance, and subjects suited to particular types of grouping; and (2) comparative case studies that explored how grouping/organisational policy was implemented in classrooms and how this affected teaching and learning strategies, the impact of grouping on social pedagogy and learning, and planning for transition. The extended literature review (Kutnick, Sebba, Blatchford, Galton & Thorp, 2005b) was published previously by the DfES (Research Report 688). This research brief reports on the comparative case studies