Secondary Education 1993-97 Contents   Contents   INTRODUCTION MAIN FINDINGS   1 SECONDARY EDUCATION IN ENGLAND   2 STANDARDS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS 2.1 Overview of standards 2.2 Standards achieved in national tests and GCSE examinations 2.3 Standards achieved in sixth forms 2.4 The differential performance of schools Standards achieved in schools of different type The impact of competition between schools 2.5 Basic and key skills Standards of literacy and communication across the curriculum Raising standards in reading Raising standards in writing Raising standards in speaking and listening Standards of numeracy across the curriculum Raising standards of numeracy Standards in information technology across the curriculum Raising standards of IT capability 2.6 Aspects of underachievement The relative attainment of boys The attainment of pupils from ethnic minorities The performance of schools in disadvantaged circumstances Schools requiring special measures   3 LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 3.1 The quality of leadership 3.2 The role of the headteacher and governors 3.3 School aims 3.4 Planning for school development 3.5 Financial planning and management of resources 3.6 School self-review 3.7 The role of middle managers 3.8 Appraisal of staff 3.9 The management of staff development   4 ETHOS, BEHAVIOUR AND PUPIL SUPPORT 4.1 Ethos 4.2 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 4.3 Pupils’ attitudes to learning 4.4 Pupils’ behaviour 4.5 The management of pupils’ behaviour Exclusion of pupils Drug-related incidents 4.6 Pupils’ attendance 4.7 Pastoral support and guidance of pupils 4.8 Links with parents Reports to parents on pupils’ progress   5 TEACHING 5.1 Specialist teaching Subject knowledge The match of staffing to the curriculum 5.2 Lesson planning, classroom organisation and teaching methods Planning Exposition and questioning Setting appropriate tasks 5.3 Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ achievement The pace of lessons Challenging all pupils: the use of ability grouping Challenging all pupils: teaching techniques and organisational strategies 5.4 Teaching pupils with special educational needs 5.5 Teaching pupils with English as an additional language 5.6 Teacher assessment Whole school approaches to teacher assessment Marking and responding to pupils’ work Records of pupils’ progress 5.7 The availability and use of learning resources 5.8 Homework   6 THE CURRICULUM 6.1 School aims and curriculum planning 6.2 Continuity from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 6.3 The basic curriculum in Key Stages 3 and 4 6.4 The sixth-form curriculum 6.5 The whole curriculum: spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 6.6 The whole curriculum: cross-curricular themes Careers education Health education Citizenship, environmental education, and economic and industrial understanding 6.7 Extra-curricular activities   7 STANDARDS IN SUBJECTS 7.1 ENGLISH 7.2 MATHEMATICS 7.3 SCIENCE 7.4 ART 7.5 DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 7.6 GEOGRAPHY 7.7 HISTORY 7.8 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 7.9 MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES 7.10 MUSIC 7.11 PHYSICAL EDUCATION 7.12 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 7.13 CLASSICS 7.14 VOCATIONAL COURSES Vocational GCSE courses GNVQ Business Studies 7.15   PERSONAL AND SOCIAL EDUCATION   Office for Standards in Education We welcome your comments on this site. Prepared 22 June 1998