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Ready to Learn (RTL) Baseline, 2008

Well Being and Educational Attainment of Primary School Pupils in Northern Ireland, 2008

Study number (SN): 0063-00

ABOUT THE STUDY

This study contains the findings of a baseline survey conducted for the evaluation of the Barnardo's 'Ready to Learn' (RTL) Programme. The survey was conducted to provide quality baseline data on the distribution of educational outcomes and indicators of wellbeing among Year 4 and Year 7 children, particularly in schools that have low educational attainment and are located in deprived areas in Northern Ireland. 

Participants completed questionnaires assessing physical and psychological well-being, social acceptance, peer relationships, school environment, self-esteem, enjoyment of education and aspirations for the future. Key Stage Maths and English scores were also captured.

The survey aimed to determine how these outcomes relate together and what socio-demographic variables might be associated with these and identify levels of need in relation to the outcomes in order to aid Barnardo's in deciding where best to target their intervention.

MAIN TOPICS

• School Children
• Attainment
• Wellbeing 

COVERAGE, UNIVERSE, METHODOLOGY

Population

 Year 4 and Year 7 pupils in Northern Ireland

Observation units

• Individuals

Temporal coverage

From 03/2008 to 05/2008

Geographical coverage

Country: United Kingdom, Northern Ireland 

Methods of data collection

• PAPI (Pencil and Paper Interview, Self-completion)
• Schools provided level of attainment in English and Mathematis Key Stage Assessments, general school attendance, number of children in Y4 and Y7 with SEN and overall number of children on the CAMHS waiting list. 

Sampling procedures

All primary schools in Northern Ireland were categorised as either high deprivation or low deprivation based on the level of free school meals (FSM) uptake in the school and whether the school was located within a neighbourhood renewal area. Schools were then randomly selected, stratified by area board. Eighty two schools were selected and approached in the first instance (By letter and telephone) and invited to participate 

Response rate

Of 82 schools selected 28 agreed to take part. In total 1081 pupils took part, 510 females and 571 males. 527 pupils were in Year 4 and 554 were in Year 7. Ages ranged from 7 to 12 years old. The mean age of Year pupils was 7.8 years old and the mean age of Year 7 pupils was 10.8 years old. 57 pupils did not give consent for their answers to be included in the study.

DATA AND DOCUMENTATION: FILES’ DESCRIPTION

Data (available through ISSDA application process)

Documentation (available for download)

LINKS

Miller, S., Lundy, L., Connolly, P., Maguire, L.K. & McEvoy, L. (2008) Well being and educational attainment of primary school pupils in Northern Ireland, Belfast: Centre for Evidence & Social Innovation, Queen's University Belfast  

ACCESS INFORMATION

Accessing the data

To access the data, please complete a ISSDA Data Request Form for Research Purposes - Pseudonymised Datasets sign it, and send it to ISSDA by email.

For teaching purposes, please complete the ISSDA Data Request Form for Teaching Purposes - Pseudonymised Datasets, and follow the procedures, as above. Teaching requests are approved on a once-off module/workshop basis. Subsequent occurrences of the module/workshop require a new teaching request form.

Data will be disseminated on receipt of a fully completed, signed form. Incomplete or unsigned forms will be returned to the data requester for completion.

Copyright

Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, Queens University Belfast 

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies.

The research team consisted of Dr. Sarah Miller, Professor Laura Lundy, Professor Paul Connolly, Dr. Lisa McGuire and Dr. Lesley Emerson. 

Any work based in whole or part on resources provided by ISSDA, should  acknowledge: "Ready to Learn (RTL) Baseline, 2008: well being and educational attainment of primary school pupils in Northern Ireland, 2008" and also ISSDA, in the following way: “Accessed via the Irish Social Science Data Archive - www.ucd.ie/issda”.

Citation requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical citation

Centre for Effective Education , Queen's University Belfast. (2018). Ready to Learn (RTL) Baseline: well being and educational attainment of primary school pupils in Northern Ireland, 2008 [dataset]. Version 1. Irish Social Science Data Archive. SN: 0063-00. URL http://www.ucd.ie/issda/data/readytolearnrtlbaseline2008/

Notification

The user shall notify the Irish Social Science Data Archive of all publications where she or he has used the data.