We are alarmed at the hasty decision to split classes into sets according to ability for Maths and English at Edinburgh Primary. The school has an excellent reputation for supporting every child through their learning journey, developing the confidence and flexible skills to progress in a challenging world. Setting by ability goes against the ethos of the school we chose for our children.
There is much evidence that dividing classes into ability groups does little to help those children considered to be of higher academic ability and can be actively damaging to others. The Education Endowment Foundation's (EEF's) Toolkit says that 'routine setting or streaming arrangements undermine low attainers' confidence and discourage the belief that attainment can be improved through effort'.
It also states that setting by ability 'does not appear to be an effective strategy for raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, who are more likely to be assigned to lower groups. Summer born pupils and students from ethnic minority backgrounds are also likely to be adversely affected by ability grouping.' As Edinburgh is a school that has welcomed SEND students and has a high number of children with English as an additional language, this aspect of setting is particularly worrying for us.
Lack of funding has been given as a reason for this decision. There are already successful intervention groups in year 6 that benefit the whole year without the need for more staff, and it is within your scope to develop creative ways of stretching the abilities of all your students – it is being done elsewhere. Alternatively, challenge the funding shortfall and we will be behind you all the way. But don't fail our children for lack of cash.
Parents, students and teachers have a stronger voice in the new inspection framework, and nobody wants the school to get a poor grade based on the introduction of outmoded and harmful teaching methods. We all want the school to move forward to bigger and better things, but the evidence tells us that setting is not the answer.
– Stop the imposition of class setting immediately
– Engage in meaningful dialogue with parents and teachers about how to improve the school further, while respecting the balanced, happy and nurturing environment that Edinburgh offers for all of its pupils
