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Longitudinal research case study examines effect of private, grammar, and faith schools on academic outcomes

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A new research case study showcasing what longitudinal population studies can tell us about the impact of going to a private, grammar or faith school has been added to the CLOSER Learning Hub.

Two young boys in school uniform running in a playground with backpacks on

In this latest addition to the Learning Hub, our new case study examines longitudinal research on whether there was an academic advantage for cohort members attending private, grammar and faith schools.

Researchers from University College London and Penn State used longitudinal data from the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70), which follows the lives of around 17,000 people born in England, Scotland and Wales in the same, single week of 1970, to explore the topic.

The research found that students of private and grammar schools had better academic outcomes than their peers at comprehensive, faith schools and secondary modern schools.

The findings suggest that policies should focus on boosting attainment for all students across all school types, with the aim of enabling all schools to match the success of private and grammar school students.

About CLOSER’s Learning Hub

Our Learning Hub is a free, online educational resource which helps those new to longitudinal population studies – including students, researchers and policymakers – better understand the value of these studies and how to use them.

In addition to research case studies, the Learning Hub contains learning modules, teaching datasets, interactive quizzes and animations which all combine to build and enhance users’ knowledge of longitudinal population studies and the wealth of data they provide.