With reduced public funds available, should policy and practice focus on attitudes or on other directions? The study evaluates research evidence from five groups of interventions with children and parents: parent involvement, extra-curricular activities, mentoring, volunteering and peer education, and interventions with a primary focus on changing attitudes.It found that: Changing three attitudes – aspirations, locus of control and valuing school – did not impact on educational attainment; There should be a shift in emphasis from ‘raising aspirations’ to ‘keeping aspirations on track’. High-res

With reduced public funds available, should policy and practice focus on attitudes or on other directions? The study evaluates research evidence from five groups of interventions with children and parents: parent involvement, extra-curricular activities, mentoring, volunteering and peer education, and interventions with a primary focus on changing attitudes.

It found that:

  • Changing three attitudes – aspirations, locus of control and valuing school – did not impact on educational attainment;
  • There should be a shift in emphasis from ‘raising aspirations’ to ‘keeping aspirations on track’.