Supporting our
most deprived
learners
Sir Alasdair Macdonald
Attainment
PDG pupils
Other pupils
Time
The ambition
“Our data shows it doesn't matter if you go to a
school in Britain, Finland or Japan, students from a
privileged background tend to do well everywhere.
Your effect as a teacher is a lot bigger for a student
who doesn't have a privileged background than for a
student who has lots of educational resources.”
Andreas Schleicher – OECD
16/200 pupils achieving 5 good passes
}  2 students going to higher education
}  30% of students leaving school with no
qualification of any kind
} 
80 70 60 50 5 GCSEs A-­‐C including English and mathema3cs na3onal 40 5 GCSEs A-­‐C including English and mathema3cs Tower Hamlets 30 Morpeth School 20 10 0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Quest 2014 London Borough of Tower Hamlets Success Against the Odds
For many years we have assumed that if
attainment is rising the gap in attainment is
narrowing. The evidence shows that this is not
the case. With each strategy we need to ask the
question “What is the impact on narrowing gaps?”
% 5 A*-C With E/M
Three Stages of Development
Order, structure and a focus on learning
B.  Development of educational capital
C.  Focus on pedagogy and professional development
A. 
Quest 2014 London Borough of Tower Hamlets Success Against the Odds
} 
We have become quite skilled in intervening
to raise attainment, particularly outside the
classroom.
56
We have become quite skilled in intervening
to raise attainment, particularly outside the
classroom.
}  If students spend the majority of their time in
class, the real challenge is how we develop a
pedagogy that narrows gaps. Does such a
pedagogy exist?
} 
Driven by accountability based on management, monitoring and targets
B.  Driven by professional trust based on leadership and professional development
A. 
An international perspective
“Today’s schooling needs to be much more about
ways of thinking, involving creativity, critical thinking,
problem-solving and decision-making.”
Andreas Schleicher – OECD
TES 16 November 2012