Explore the vast range of titles available.

This article examines whether the so-called ‘London effect’, in which London’s schools outperformed the rest of England on key performance measures between 2003 and 2013, has persisted beyond the global Covid-19 pandemic. The research builds on previous work which demonstrated that the London effect had survived the high levels of change that characterised the school system in England since 2013, which included significant changes to the primary curriculum and the national assessment frameworks in both the primary and secondary phases. The research uses detailed analysis of educational attainment data, with its main focus being on determining whether the educational impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic adversely impacted the London effect or if London continued to remain the highest performing region in England after the pandemic. The analysis is based on the Key Stage 4 General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examination results in 2023. The article concludes with a reflection on the policy context and how this might influence future developments within the London school system.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused school closures worldwide and has disrupted nearly 1.6 billion students across the globe. This has widened existing digital gaps and has caused vulnerable students to be further digitally displaced. In efforts to mitigate this issue, various strategies have been used to cater for the educational digital divide of vulnerable students. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the relationship between access and connectivity of learning and use and exploitation of technology, particularly with regards to iPads during the pandemic. Thus, the present study investigates this scenario by examining the digital educational divide for vulnerable students in the pandemic, in terms of access and connectivity and use and exploitation. A survey was distributed to 518 vulnerable students in schools between the ages of 10 and 15 years old, and results were analyzed using partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that asynchronous learning is a stronger construct than synchronous learning, while creativity skills was stronger than productivity skills with regard to the use and exploitation of technology for pandemic learning of vulnerable students. This study’s findings could assist future developers and educators in the development of effective emergency teaching and learning strategies and design.

Background Sierra Leone faces challenges in ensuring equitable and inclusive education for all its citizens. Certain groups, including pregnant students, student mothers, students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, and those without family support, are particularly vulnerable to exclusion and marginalisation. These groups are identified as vulnerable based on criteria established by organisations such as the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which highlight the interplay between health, socio-economic status, and access to education. This study explores the extent of exclusion and marginalisation experienced by these vulnerable groups within Sierra Leonean educational institutions. Methods Between November and December 2023, a participatory study design was utilised, employing purposive sampling to gather diverse perspectives from 127 key informant interviews with 366 participants, including teachers, parents, students with disabilities, pregnant students, students who are mothers, and economically disadvantaged students across 11 schools in six districts in Sierra Leone. The analysis was performed manually using Microsoft Word, with four researchers responsible for organising, coding, and identifying patterns and themes within the dataset. Results Pregnant students are often stigmatized, being perceived as immoral and a negative influence on their peers. This stigma results in social isolation, bullying, and derogatory comments from both peers, and at times, teachers. Students with disabilities frequently experience bullying and social exclusion; however, there are also positive examples of peer support that facilitate their inclusion in schools and the broader community. Economically disadvantaged students are often subjected to bullying and discrimination based on their socioeconomic status, which contributes to feelings of self-isolation, reduced self-esteem, and low participation in school activities. Conclusion Our study revealed that pregnant students, students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, and those lacking family support face stigma, social isolation, and limited access to education in Sierra Leone. These challenges are deeply rooted in societal attitudes, parental expectations, and inadequate support from teachers. To address these systemic issues, policymakers and educators should adopt comprehensive strategies, including evidence-based community awareness campaigns to challenge harmful societal attitudes, the promotion of inclusive education practices through clear and targeted policies, and the establishment of robust support services within schools. Such measures are essential to create an equitable and inclusive educational environment for all students.

School-based health centres (SBHCs) provide developmental and mental health care to children with socioeconomic disparities. We piloted a validated behavioural intervention called Coping Power (CP) for children with disruptive behaviour through our SBHC program. The objective of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of CP in the SBHC setting. All parent/caregiver and child dyads enrolled in CP from 2018 to 2019 and 2021 to 2022 were invited to participate in the study. Demographic information and behaviour rating scales were collected at baseline. Feasibility metrics included attendance and satisfaction survey responses. A total of 31 parent/caregiver-child dyads were included. Approximately 40% of families had an annual income of <$49,999. Regarding attendance, 22/31 children/parent/caregiver dyads (70.9%) missed ≤2 sessions. Thirteen parents/caregivers completed the CP satisfaction survey and indicated that they were either 'somewhat' (n = 4) or 'very satisfied' (n = 9) with the program. Of the 18 children who completed the satisfaction survey, 13 (72.2%) shared that either the 'sort of' or 'for sure' group helped them cope with their anger better. This pilot study found that CP delivered within the SBHCs was feasible. Improving access to CP for disadvantaged children may improve mental health outcomes.

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school lockdowns in many countries forced teachers to deliver lessons online to ensure that students continued their studies. This shift, which caused major challenges for school systems worldwide, significantly affected the Cypriot education system, which is highly centralised and in which teacher-centred practices are widely used. In many countries, teachers and students were unfamiliar with the new teaching and evaluation methods, and learners in the most marginalised groups were deemed to be at risk of falling behind. For these reasons, an online survey was undertaken in Cyprus from March to September 2020 as part of an international online survey initiated by a university in the Northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. The survey examined teachers’ perspectives on the new online pedagogical practices; the challenges they faced; and the impact of these practices on the learning progress of all students, including two vulnerable groups, i.e., individuals with learning disabilities and immigrant students aged 6–18 years. Key findings suggest that the teachers were unprepared to design inclusive student-centred digital activities and deliver online lessons and that distance teaching may have negatively affected students’ learning experiences, especially in the vulnerable groups.

Over the past two decades, early school leaving (ESL) rates in the European Union have significantly decreased, from 17.6% in 2000 to 9.5% in 2023. ESL refers to individuals aged 18-24 who leave education without upper secondary qualifications. Ireland has excelled by cutting its ESL rate to 4% in 2023 through initiatives like the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Plan and TUSLA Education Support Services. These programs address inequities by offering guidance, alternative pathways, and promoting attendance and retention. Despite progress, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including migrants and Travelers, still face poorer educational outcomes. This research examines inclusive learning environments and their role in improving engagement, retention, and progression. Case studies from two high-performing designated DEIS schools illustrate how strong school leadership fosters effective interventions by building partnerships with families and communities. Applying Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the study emphasizes the significance of interactions at the microsystem and mesosystem levels, supported by cohesive macro-level policies. The research identifies best practices for reducing inequities and improving outcomes across diverse educational contexts. This research explores how inclusive learning environments can help every student feel supported to learn, stay engaged in school, and reach their full potential. Focusing on two high-performing DEIS schools in Ireland, it shows how strong and caring school leadership can make a real difference-especially when schools work closely with families and local communities. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the study highlights the importance of the everyday relationships and supports surrounding students, from the classroom to the wider community, all reinforced by effective national education policies. The findings offer valuable guidance for schools, educators, and policymakers striving to reduce inequities in education. By adopting proven practices, we can create more inclusive school environments where all learners feel valued, capable, and empowered to succeed.

Before COVID-19, digital divide research among college students was scarce, reinforcing the idea that technology access was nearly universal, with few demographic differences. Pandemic-era research found some technical challenges, but most studies were conducted nationally or at research-intensive (R1) universities, indicating a paucity in research among underrepresented populations, notably at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI). This mixed-methods study aimed to assess digital inequities and pandemic-related technological challenges at an HSI, with high percentages of low-income and first-generation students. This study also sought to determine if findings were consistent with national and R1 research. We surveyed a representative sample of 2188 undergraduates and conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 students. Results showed many students had inadequate technology. Just 79% had the optimal combination of smartphone plus laptop or desktop, with first-generation, low-income, Black, and older students significantly less likely to have this combination and often having to share devices within their households. Internet quality significantly affected all coursework-related challenges, as almost half of students with unstable internet reported trouble completing assignments compared to 20% with stable internet. Finally, results suggest the digital divide may be more prevalent at HSIs than at previously studied institutions, while also offering insight into how these challenges affect similar universities.

Purpose Supporting the learning and wellbeing of vulnerable students is an important yet challenging part of school educators’ work. The purpose of this paper is to investigate advice-seeking patterns around the issue of supporting the learning and wellbeing of vulnerable students, among professional staff in six English secondary schools. The paper focuses on investigating variation in advice-seeking patterns among schools, exploring the association between these patterns and staff perceptions of the school climate for collaboration, and examining how these informal advice-seeking patterns relate to formal support arrangements in the schools. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach that combined findings from social network analysis with in-depth interviews was used. Findings It was found that advice-seeking patterns among staff vary substantively, even among similar schools. Furthermore, schools with more cohesive and reciprocal advice networks also showed a stronger climate for collaboration (i.e. mutual respect and distributed leadership). Also, formal organizational structures and informal advice-seeking structures showed coherence in the sample, as formally designated leaders, such as the Headteacher and the Special Educational Needs Coordinators, were generally highly central to their schools’ advice network. Originality/value This study advances the field as there is little research that examines the social networks of educators in England, and no previous studies that explore teacher advice-seeking networks in relation to supporting vulnerable students, internationally.

Educational poverty is widespread in compulsory education in terms of poor learning and socio-cultural disadvantages; it affects students with disabilities, students with learning difficulties, and those with an immigrant background. During the pandemic crisis, students with special educational needs (SENs) mostly suffered the risk of an additional deprivation. Within an advanced inclusive model during school closure, the Italian State guaranteed access to schools only to students with disabilities. What effects did this “equalizing” measure produce? What kinds of attitudes have teachers adopted and what roles have they played (active vs. passive) in order to make it sustainable? What was their acknowledgement of the educational poverty and deprivation? To what extent were their attitudes differentiated? This article explores the roles and attitudes of teachers during periods of lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. We assume that the teachers’ attitudes were differentiated on the basis of five cultural dimensions (auto/hetero-referencing; vision of remote teaching; relationship with bureaucracy, relationships with students; teaching as performance or relation), and two functions (classroom teachers/ SENs teachers). The study is based on 42 semi-structured interviews conducted with teachers, principals, and parents in six lower secondary public schools with high rates of SENs students and multi-ethnicity (Northern Italy), and focused on the organisational, teaching, and relational aspects. Results seem to confirm that not all teachers agreed with the Ministry line and adopted a range of responses to the challenge of maintaining inclusivity, from the inert/impatient to the creative/active ones. Their attitudes changed during the post-pandemic period from atomistic to more collaborative, and their preoccupation with the fragile “uncertified students” increased. The article closes with recommendations on teacher training.