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Are breaktimes really just a time of violence and bullying that could be better used for working? Based on a unique and fascinating longitudinal study of a group of pupils from primary to secondary school, the author of this timely new book proposes an alternative view. He believes that breaktime plays an important part in children's social development, and through his gathering of pupil's own views on breaktimes over a period of ten years, we see how breaktimes offer children time to play; to develop friendships; to build social networks; to develop social skills and competence; to be independent from adults; and to learn to manage conflict, aggression and inter-group relations. Where else will they learn these important skills if not in the playground? What will happen in a society where these skills are not developed?

Findings from the Deployment and Impact of Support Staff (DISS) project showed that support from teaching assistants (TAs) had a strong negative impact on the academic progress of pupils, and this applied particularly to pupils with a statement of special educational needs (SEN). Although the DISS project found that such pupils experienced less contact with teachers, little is known about school-and classroom-level decision-making relating to provision. This paper addresses the nature and quality of the educational experiences of pupils with statements, and who has responsibility for putting in place and delivering provision for these pupils within schools. Results come from the Making a Statement (MAST) project, which tracked the educational experiences of 48 9-and 10-year-old pupils with the highest level of SEN, attending mainstream primary schools in England. The study involved the thematic analysis of 48 detailed pupil case studies, drawing on interview, documentation and field note data. Results are presented in terms of four key themes: (1) the explicit and subtle forms of separation these pupils experience daily; (2) the high level of pedagogical decision-making TAs have for pupils with statements; (3) the impoverished pedagogical diet pupils with statements receive, compared to their peers; and (4) the gaps in teachers' and TAs' knowledge concerning meeting the needs of pupils with statements. The findings have particular implications for the deployment of TAs and for provision for pupils with SEN, with and without statements.

Despite evidence from the USA that children in small classes of less than 20 do better academically there is still a vociferous debate about the effects of class size differences in schools, and considerable gaps in our understanding of the effects of class size differences. This article summarises results from the most complete UK analysis to date of the educational consequences of class size differences. The study had two aims: first, to establish whether class size differences affect pupils' academic achievement; and second, to study connections between class size and classroom processes, which might explain any differences found. The study had a number of features that were designed to be an improvement on previous research. It used an 'observational' approach, rather than an interventionist one, in order to capture the nature of the relationship between class size and achievement across the full range of observed classes, and it employed a longitudinal design with baseline assessment to adjust for possible non-random selection of children into classes. The study followed a large sample of over 10,000 children from school entry through the infant stage, i.e. children aged 4-7 years. It used multilevel statistical procedures to model effects of class size differences while controlling for sources of variation that might affect the relationship with academic achievement, and a multimethod research approach, integrating teachers' judgements and experiences with case studies, and also carefully designed time allocation estimates and systematic observation data. Results showed that there was a clear effect of class size differences on children's academic attainment over the (first) Reception year. In the case of literacy, the lowest attainers on entry to school benefited most from small classes, particularly below 25. Connections between class size and classroom processes were examined and a summary model of relationships presented. Effects were multiple, not singular; in large classes there are more large groups and this presented teachers with more difficulties, in smaller classes there was more individual teacher contact with pupils and more support for learning, and in larger classes there was more pupil inattentiveness and off-task behaviour. Results support a contextual approach to classroom learning, within which class size differences have effects on both teachers and pupils. It is concluded that much will depend on how teachers adapt their teaching to different class sizes and that more could be done in teacher training and professional development to address contextual features like size of class.

Are breaktimes really just a time of violence and bullying that could be better used for working? Based on a unique and fascinating longitudinal study of a group of pupils from primary to secondary school, the author of this timely new book proposes an alternative view. He believes that breaktime plays an important part in children's social development, and through his gathering of pupil's own views on breaktimes over a period of ten years, we see how breaktimes offer children time to play; to develop friendships; to build social networks; to develop social skills and competence; to be independent from adults; and to learn to manage conflict, aggression and inter-group relations. Where else will they learn these important skills if not in the playground? What will happen in a society where these skills are not developed?

Are breaktimes really just a time of violence and bullying that could be better used for working? Based on a unique and fascinating longitudinal study of a group of pupils from primary to secondary school, the author of this timely new book proposes an alternative view. He believes that breaktime plays an important part in children's social development, and through his gathering of pupil's own views on breaktimes over a period of ten years, we see how breaktimes offer children time to play; to develop friendships; to build social networks; to develop social skills and competence; to be independent from adults; and to learn to manage conflict, aggression and inter-group relations. Where else will they learn these important skills if not in the playground? What will happen in a society where these skills are not developed?

Are breaktimes really just a time of violence and bullying that could be better used for working? Based on a unique and fascinating longitudinal study of a group of pupils from primary to secondary school, the author of this timely new book proposes an alternative view. He believes that breaktime plays an important part in children's social development, and through his gathering of pupil's own views on breaktimes over a period of ten years, we see how breaktimes offer children time to play; to develop friendships; to build social networks; to develop social skills and competence; to be independent from adults; and to learn to manage conflict, aggression and inter-group relations. Where else will they learn these important skills if not in the playground? What will happen in a society where these skills are not developed?

This article reviews the existing evidence on the relationship between class size and achievement for children in their first years of schooling. It then describes a large-scale longitudinal study of such children within English Local Education Authorities and presents results for achievement progress in literacy and mathematics during the reception year. Using a series of multilevel models, it is shown that there is a relationship with size of class, after various confounding factors have been allowed for, and that there are interactions between class size and initial achievement and between class size and entitlement to free school meals. It is argued that these results, especially the differential effects for different groups of children, could have important implications for educational policy.

This longitudinal research tests the effectiveness of the SPRinG programme, which was developed through a collaboration between researchers and teachers and designed to provide teachers with strategies for enhancing pupil group work in 'authentic' classroom settings. An evaluation study involved comparing pupils in SPRinG classrooms and trained in group work skills with those who were not in terms of science attainment. There were 560 and 1027 pupils (8-10 years) in the experimental and control groups respectively. 'Macro' attainment data were collected at the start of the year. 'Micro' attainment data were collected in the spring and summer before and after science lessons involving either group work (intervention) or the control teachers' usual approach. SPRinG pupils made greater academic progress than control pupils. Findings are discussed relative to enhancing the quantity and quality of group work in schools and a social pedagogic approach to classroom learning.

Despite an unprecedented increase in classroom-based support staff, there are confusing messages about their appropriate deployment and a lack of systematic evidence on their impact. This article addresses the deployment and impact on pupil engagement and individual attention of support staff, commonly known as teaching assistants (TAs), in terms of: (1) a comparison between TAs and teachers; (2) differences between pupils with and without special educational needs (SEN); and (3) differences between primary and secondary schools. Systematic observations of pupil behaviour in 49 primary and secondary schools showed that support staff presence resulted in increased individualisation of attention and overall teaching, easier classroom control, and that pupils showed more engagement and a more active role in interaction with adults. This supports teachers' positive view of support staff, but their presence also meant pupils' contact with teachers declined and at secondary level there was less individual and active interactions between teachers and pupils.