Fife peer learning project: intensity and type of tutoring

The aim of this project is to enhance the achievement of primary school pupils in Fife in core skills in reading and mathematics. It is a randomly allocated trial, in which different intensities and types of tutoring are randomly allocated to the 123 primary schools participating. Sometimes older children tutor younger children across year groups and sometimes pupils tutor others of the same age within year groups. Sometimes intensity is light (once per week), sometimes heavy (three times per week). Sometimes reading is allocated, sometimes mathematics, and sometimes both. This yields 12 different combinations of tutoring, each operating in about 10 schools. P4 (8 year old) and P6 (10 year old) pupils participate. Research assistants work with the schools to train, consult and guide the tutoring. Data are collected before, during and after the peer learning programmes on academic progress in core skills. All primary schools in Fife already use PIPS (Performance Indicators in Primary Schools) assessments from the CEM Centre in Durham and several use MidYIS (Middle Years Information System). Data on P4 and P6 pupils are collected using the current PIPS assessment and a new re-administration of an extended version of this assessment is done at the end of the P7 year (11 years old). Pupils going into secondary school are assessed at the end of S1 (12 years old) (with an extended version of the PIPS P7 assessment) and S2 (13 years old) (with a new assessment currently being developed specifically for the end of the 5-14 phase). Attitudinal data are also collected from the Extended MidYIS tests during S1. Although the project will last for two years and is not yet complete, it is possible to make some early comments. These will focus particularly upon the effects of the 12 types and intensities of tutoring.