Secondary school students’ belief in their ability to influence academic outcomes can improve their progress in reading by up to two months, according to a study published today.
The research suggests that students who believe that the effort they put in can improve their outcomes make significantly greater progress in reading than their peers who do not.
Students feel less in control of their outcomes as they progress through key stage 3, particularly throughout the duration of Year 7, according to the study by John Jerrim of ImpactEd, who is also professor of education and social statistics at UCL Institute of Education.
Students’ ‘sense of academic control’
Professor Jerrim analysed data from 10,687 students aged 11 to 14 across 28 schools within Outwood Grange Academies Trust, and more than 100,000 students’ answers to surveys at three points during the 2024-25 academic year, using The Engagement Platform tool.
Students were asked to grade their answers from one to 10 on statements linked to perceived control over attainment, which provided scores on their “sense of academic control”.
On three separate occasions during the school year, secondary students were asked to grade the following statements on that basis:
- I do well in school if I try hard.
- If I try my best, I get good marks.
- If I study more, I get better marks.
The same students also took reading tests at the start of the academic year and then four months later to provide a reading age in months.
In measuring how their reading age changed over the four-month period, Professor Jerrim compared their reading progress against their answers showing their sense of control over academic outcomes.
By comparing students’ reading progress with their earlier survey responses, Professor Jerrim found that those who strongly believed their effort could influence their academic outcomes made significantly greater progress in reading than their peers who did not hold this belief.
The research accounts for prior attainment, special educational needs and disabilities status, eligibility for free school meals and other characteristics.
Assessing how students felt their academic control changed throughout the year, researchers tracked how the average control score, derived from the survey answers, changed from autumn to spring and from spring to summer.
They found that the largest drop in control occurred between the autumn and spring terms, with a smaller decrease into summer.
Professor Jerrim told Vlog that he believes similar results are likely to be found in local authority-maintained schools and smaller trusts, but he does not yet have the data to test this belief.
Earlier this week another study led by Professor Jerrim found that disadvantaged white pupils fall furthest after primary school, even if they had excellent attainment at the end of KS2.
Speaking about the findings, Lee Wilson, CEO of Outwood Grange Academies Trust, said they enabled the trust to further sharpen its approach to student support.
Strengthening KS3 “remains a core priority for the trust”, he added, and having an “early warning system” enables more precise intervention during critical windows like the Year 7 transition.
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