Ability grouping in the secondary school: attitudes of teachers of practically based subjects

standard deviations for the overall attitude and belief scores, particularly for music
and PE teachers, support this view. This may be because arts and PE teachers are
relatively isolated from other school staff, in part because they may be the sole full
time representative of their subject and also because at lunchtimes and after school
they may be engaged in a range of extra-curricula activities rather than engaging in
exchanges with other school staff.

Whatever the nature of the grouping practices adopted, teachers’ beliefs about the
nature of their subject influence the way that they teach (Barker-Lunn, 1970; Hallam
and Ireson, 2005). Where school grouping practices do not fit well with their beliefs
about pedagogy teachers may compensate within the classroom. In planning grouping
structures, school managers may find it productive to acknowledge and take account
of these subject differences, facilitating the pedagogy which teachers believe to be
most appropriate.

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by funding from the Economic and Social Research
Council. The authors would like to thank Sarah Hack and Helen Clark the researchers on
the project for their careful collection of data and to the participating schools for giving
of their time.

References

Barker Lunn, J.C. (1970) Streaming in the Primary School. (Slough, NFER)

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