READING
Using evidence for policy
Using evidence
for policy
Estelle Morris looks at the issues that affect the
use of evidence in education policy
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I’ve often been
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Science has taught us more about how of common sense and politicians usually
asked since I stepped down from being people learn and this should be informing back common sense! Both major political
a minister is whether government uses teaching and learning; and parties have policies to encourage setting
evidence to inform its decisions. In fact, the
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The relationship between those who make by ability yet the evidence to support this
question is more likely to be put the other strategic decisions at both the national isn’t there. Yet common sense says that it is
way around – why don’t politicians look at and local level and those who work in easier to teach children in a group if they are
the evidence before they make decisions! schools has changed, and will no doubt of a similar ability.
Politicians do, of course, look at evidence continue to do so. There has been a change in the
but it is more complex than that. It is Some people say that the answer is to relationship between politicians and
probably fair to say that education does take politics and ideology out of it. I would education in the last two or three decades.
not have a track record of changing in not subscribe to that. Education is about In the years following the end of the Second
the light of evidence and circumstances. more than the here and now. It is about World War, education was just as important
The classroom of the 18th century looks the transmission of knowledge from one to the political agenda as it is now the but
remarkably similar to the classroom of the generation to another and it is also about the activity and focus of politicians stopped
middle of the last century. Today, there may the type of society we want to be. at the school gate.
be more technology in use, but in most When girls were taught different subjects This changed with the introduction of the
classes it is still a teacher talking to the class from boys it was rooted in the adult roles we national curriculum, national assessments
as teachers always have. expected of both. When we did not educate and Ofsted. The political debate changed.
The same does not apply, for example, the poor it refl ected our views on social Politicians were discussing – and deciding
in the health service. A hospital would mobility. – what should be taught and individual
most defi nitely refl ect the developments You cannot take politicians or politics school performance became an issue of local
in technology and research that had taken out of decision-making in education. It is debate.
place in 200 years or even in the past fi ve one of the most important levers politicians A decade ago, with the election of the
years. The public expects constant change have to create the type of society they have Labour government, the debate moved on
in the health service, whereas we very often promised their electorate. And many of the again. The literacy and numeracy strategies
cite change as something that distracts from issues and the decisions they need to take were not just about what was taught but
progress in education. will be based on their own ideology. how it was taught. This wasn’t an ideological
Despite this, we have made huge progress The political left’s support for policy but an education programme put
in education in recent decades and there is comprehensive education is a refl ection forward by politicians.
no doubt that the quality of teaching and of the priority they give to social justice; The missives that have come from
the standards in our schools are now higher the right’s defence of selection and private government in the last few years have
than they have ever been. But how decisions education is a refl ection of the importance continued this trend. They have been about
that affect education are taken is one of the they give to individual freedom. teaching styles, how to keep discipline,
things we must look at if we are to improve And, of course, politicians do make how to group children, how often to contact
further. There are three reasons for this: decisions based on evidence as well. parents, how frequently a local authority can
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More needs to be asked of the education However, too often they only look for go into a school, how many hours of sport a
system than ever before. It is more urgent evidence to support their pre-existing child should do each week, or how to deal
than ever that we solve some of the biases. What is important, in my view, is to with the underperformance of boys.
problems that have plagued our education separate the questions that can be informed The government’s area of activity is
system for generations – the social by scientifi c evidence from those that are different now, and that is right.
class divide, a good quality vocational rightly political. I take the view that it is change in the
curriculum, engaging all students and Evidence, though, is sometimes classroom, developments in teaching and
keeping them in education beyond the contradictory and it can be used selectively. learning, how we organise the shape of
school leaving age; Sometimes evidence seems to go in the face the school day and the school term, how
22 Better: Evidence-based Education spring 2009
Better Spr09 pp22-23 Policy.indd 22 20/4/09 09:20:09
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