Report from the NFER
Grouping pupils by ability in streams and sets has no influence on their performance. It can have a negative effect on the attitudes, motivation and self-esteem of lower ability pupils. Boys, pupils from working-class families and summer born children are more likely to be disadvantaged, says the NFER. The review, based on an analysis of more than 20 major studies in the UK and the USA, throws doubt on some of the claims that streaming and setting improve pupil achievement.
The report says that while a decreasing number of schools use streaming, setting, by which pupils are grouped by ability for particular subjects, is increasing in primary schools, particularly with older pupils. The most common subjects for setting are maths, English and science.
The main findings were that streaming or setting, compared with mixed ability teaching, have no effect on overall pupil achievement, or achievement across subject areas, either at primary or secondary level. But the limited research on within class grouping in primary schools shows that it does have a positive effect on pupils' attitudes, self esteem and achievement (mostly in linear subjects like maths and science).
Streaming and setting have a detrimental effect on the attitudes and self-esteem amongst average and low ability pupils.They tend to reinforce divisions along lines of social class, gender, race and age. As a result, low ability classes often contain disproportionately large numbers of pupils from working class background, boys, ethnic minorities and summer born children.
(Streaming, setting and grouping by ability by Laura Suknandan with Barbara Lee,