Why the best teachers should be in reception classes

Primary schools should consider putting their best teachers into Reception classes according to researchers at Durham University, who found that children who were taught well in their first year went on to achieve better GCSE results in English and Maths. The study of 40,000 children in England provides evidence that a boost in development from an effective first year of school remains with children right through to the end of compulsory education at age 16. Effective classes A team of researchers from the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) at Durham University, led by Professor Peter Tymms, measured children's early reading and maths development at the start of school, age four, with an assessment called Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS). They were assessed again at the end of the first Reception year and later, at ages 7, 11 and 16. By assessing children at the beginning and end of the Reception year, the team was able to identify classes where children made significantly more progress than average. Strong progress It was possible to follow the children through their education and track the impact of an effective first year of school. Similarly, the team identified schools in which children made particularly strong progress in Key Stages 1 and 2 and explored their long-term impacts.