Students entering third year in secondary school become more negative about school and their teachers, a new report by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found.
The report also found that a quarter of students in the study were taking grinds, mainly in Maths, but, did not benefit greatly from the extra tutorials. The students taking grinds were from predominately middle-class backgrounds.
Students sitting their Leaving Cert. Photo: Bryan O'Brien
The Gearing Up for the Exam?report explores the experiences of third year students and highlights what schools can do to enhance student learning and their engagement with school.
The study also found that students in lower stream classes achieve lower grades in the Junior Certificate exam than similar students in other classes.
"Their underachievement reflects less access to higher level subjects, a slower pace of instruction and lower expectations among teachers and students," the report states.
Reacting to today's report Labour Party Spokesperson for Education and Science, Ruairi Quinn called on Minister for Education Mary Hanafin to make a clear policy statement of the role of grinds in the State's education system.
"The finding in the report that students who take grinds, do not derive any benefit, would bear out the contention that overall, the standard of teaching available in our second level schools is excellent. In that case, what is the function of grinds?," Mr Quinn asked.
He added that the ESRI report also places a question mark over the practice in many schools of streaming students by academic ability.
"It seems students who are 'better performers' derive no advantage whatsoever from such systems, while 'lower performing' students are actually put at a disadvantage, ending up demotivated and disengaged. I would urge the Minister to take whatever steps she can to make sure that these findings are fully reflected in how schools organise their classes in future," said Mr Quinn.