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Main findings
This evaluation showed that, during its fourth year, Playing
for Success had reached its target group of underachieving
young people: the initial reading and numeracy comprehension
scores of those taking part were well below the level expected
for their age. It has significantly improved the reading comprehension
scores of secondary pupils, by the equivalent of about six
months. Primary pupils' reading scores also improved, although
not quite enough to be statistically significant. Numeracy
and ICT skills showed significant improvement across both
age ranges. Boys and girls benefit equally from the initiative,
as do those from different ethnic groups and those who speak
English as a first or alternative language.
Factors
for success
Researchers identified the football/sports clubs setting as
one of the key factors for the initiative's success. It motivated
pupils to become involved and made them feel privileged to
be selected, rather than singled out as in need of extra help.
Once at the centres, pupils responded positively to many aspects
of the work, in particular, using computers and the Internet.
The centre staff student mentors encouraged pupils to become
more self-reliant in their learning. Pupils received feedback
on their progress. There were opportunities for pupils to
make choices and to develop independent study skills. All
these elements contributed to pupils' progress and sense of
achievement.
Feedback was also obtained from the 58 Centre managers through
a self-completed questionnaire (100% response). ICT was seen
by them as a key aspect of the programme. When asked about
the literacy focus, centre managers mentioned specific support
for reading and writing; some mentioned specific software
packages. But centre managers also emphasized the benefits
to teamwork, confidence building, sports skills and communication
skills.
Strategies
for learning
When asked how they used the medium of sport in their
learning programme, strategies mentioned included: enabling
pupils to meet players; getting pupils to complete player
profiles; using the ground for practical tasks; and using
sports-themed software. Fourteen centres offered opportunities
for pupils to play sport, including coaching in sports skills.
Club merchandise or match tickets were offered as incentives
and rewards. Virtually all centres provided a celebration
event to congratulate pupils on completing their course, including
the presentation of certificates or prizes.
Link:
For more information, and to download this report and
evaluations from earlier stages, visit www.dfes.gov.uk/playingforsuccess.
C. Sharp, J. Blackmore, L. Kendall, K. Greene, W. Keys, A.
Maccauley, I. Schagen and T. Yeshanew (2003). Playing
for Success: An Evaluation of the Fourth Year. London:
DfES/Slough: National Foundation for Educational Research.
This study tracked young people's progress in the longer
term by comparing data provided by Playing for Success (PfS)
centres with data from the National Pupil Database that showed
pupils' results in National Curriculum Assessments.
Findings are tentative (partly because of the relatively
small sample size: 828 pupils in the key stage 2 group and
284 in the key stage 3 group), but suggest that there may
be a small positive effect of PfS on young people's attainment
once they have left the centres. The authors conclude that
the findings point to the usefulness of this approach to evaluation
of the programme.
Link:
To download the full report or a summary visit www.dfes.gov.uk/research
C. Sharp, I. Schagen and E. Scott (2004). Playing
for Success: the Longer Term Impact. A Multilevel Analysis.
London: DfES/Slough: National Foundation for Educational
Research.
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