Publication Summary
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1. Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Aims and rationale for the current review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Definitional and conceptual issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Policy and practice background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Research background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Authors, funders and other users of the review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 2. Methods of the review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 User involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Identifying and describing studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Characterising included studies (EPPI-Centre and review-specific coding) . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Identifying and describing studies: quality-assurance process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 In-depth review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 3. What research was found? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Studies included from searching and screening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Updated systematic map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 In-depth review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 4. What were the findings of the studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Synthesis of evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 5. Implications, or ‘What does this mean?’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Implications for policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Implications for research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Studies included in map and synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Other references used in the text of the Technical Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Appendix 1 .1 Authorship of this report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Appendix 2 The standard EPPI-Centre systematic review process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 List of abbreviations DCSF Department for Children, Schools and Families DfEE Department for Education and Employment DfES Department for Education and Skills DIUS Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills FE Further education FTE Full-time education HE Higher education HEFCE Higher Education Funding Council HESA Higher Education Statistics Agency KS Key stage LEA Local education authority MEG Minority ethnic group NEET Not currently engaged in employment, education or training NQF National Qualifications Framework RDD Regression discontinuity design SES Socio-economic status UCAS Universities and Colleges Admissions Service WoE Weight of evidence
CAER Authors
Prof. Stephen Gorard
University of Durham - Professor in the School of Education