Ability grouping in schools - Susan Hallam

This concise, up-to-date review of what we know about ability grouping at primary and secondary level maps the changing patterns of grouping in the UK over the last century and explores the ways in which schools allocate pupils to groups, supervise pupil progress and manage change between groups. It assesses the impact of different types of grouping on pupils’ academic performance, their social relationships, attitudes towards school and learning and their self-esteem, and relates both pupil and teacher experiences of setting, streaming, banding and tracking. Finally, it looks to the future, considering ways in which the effects of structure ability grouping can be monitored and, where necessary, ameliorated, and providing a detailed guide to the strengths and weaknesses of alternative grouping strategies.