What works for raising the attainment of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds?

What is the intervention? Peer-to-Peer Support What does it involve? Peer-to-peer support includes a variety of school programmes which train and use pupils themselves to help others to learn and develop, socially or academically (such as peer listening and peer mediation). Typically, opportunities are provided for structured group or paired work and peer assessment. These are a range of approaches in which pupils in pairs or small groups to provide each other with explicit teaching support.

Peer support is intended to develop the personal and social skills of both those being helped and the helpers (e.g. communication skills and self esteem, learning to negotiate with each other and to ask for help and support). These opportunities help the pupils by developing their language and thinking, and also give teachers insights into pupils misconceptions and the social or other barriers to their education. The main aim of peer mentoring (or peer tutoring) in a school context has been subject teaching, where older pupils pass on their knowledge, skills and provide support to the mentee particularly at points of educational transition. (Parsons et al., 2008). The common characteristic is that the pupils take on responsibility for aspects of teaching and for evaluating the success of the pupil.

Who has it been used for? Very few studies have specifically examined the impact of peer-to-peer support on pupils with low attainment or those from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is important to bear these issues in mind when considering the evidence below. The peer mentoring programme detailed below predominantly involved pupils in Years 7 to 11. The peer tutoring group (detailed below) was a cross-age programme involving tutors aged 11 and tutees aged 7.

What impact does it have? There is mixed evidence on whether peer support programmes reduce bullying, although there is some evidence that it can potentially have a positive impact on pupils achievement. Very few studies have specifically examined the impact on low attainers. Research on a formalised peer mentoring programme which aimed to ease transition from primary to secondary school found both

mentors and mentees responded positively to the experience and the schools reported a number of beneficial outcomes (Parsons et al., 2008). There was some evidence to suggest a positive impact on those most in need i.e. those who attached a low importance to schooling; although it should be noted there was a small number of pupils in this group (Parsons et al, 2008). There was however no improvement for pupils generally in terms of attendance, behaviour or attainment. A study of a peer tutoring scheme of reading and thinking skills which involved tutors aged 11 and tutees aged 7 found that: o There was an improvement in tutees thinking skills, and somewhat better attitudes to reading (but there was no evidence of an improvement in these areas for the tutors) (Topping and Bryce, 2004). Overall, the evidence suggests that low attaining pupils can be potentially be successfully targeted through effective pair and group work. (Topping and Bryce, 2004).

Where can I find out more information? Research evidence sources: Formalised Peer Mentoring Pilot Evaluation. DCSF Research Report RR033. By Parsons, C., Maras, P., Knowles, C., Bradshaw, V., Hollingworth, K and Monteiro, H. (2008). Cross-age peer tutoring of reading and thinking: influence on thinking skills. Educational Psychology, 24(5), 595-621. By Topping, K. J. and Bryce, A. (2004).