1. Fife Peer Learning Project Peter Tymms (Durham, Fife & Dundee)

2. Outline Why Peer Learning The Fife Peer Learning Project –Why Scotland –Confluence of Fife, Dundee and PIPS –Peer Learning Overall plan Design Decisions at Authority Level Issues

3. Peer Learning Meta-analyses of pupil level RCTs generally positive Effect Sizes of 0.4 to 0.8 For mathematics and reading (and other attainment). For social outcomes For tutors and tutees Across many ages groups

4. Scotland Well organised Authorities No high stakes tests in primaries No National Curriculum Alignment with the aims of peer learning

5. Fife Next to Dundee’s Centre for Peer Learning About 150 primary schools Already doing PIPS in P1, P3, P5 and P7 Enthusiastic Authority

6. The Overall Plan Run Peer Learning in schools for two years in reading and mathematics. Use PIPS to check impact

7. We know that.. Peer Learning is effective But Can a whole Authority change together? Which is best – Cross-age or Same-age? – Mix or separate subjects? – Intensive or light?

8. Cross-age versus Same-age Research suggests Cross-age works best But It is hard to sustain and organise

9. Mixing versus Separation Learning skills in one context may help in another But Research suggests that transfer is problematic

10. Intensive or Light Harder more intensive work might get better results But Intense work can confuse and be onerous

11. What data will we collect? What Heads and Teachers say What schools have done Pupils’ –Progress –Attitudes –Home background, sex, age etc –Behaviour From Fife primary schools and many others in Scotland

12. Compare Overall –Fife-in-the-future with Fife-in-the-past –Fife with other authorities Specifically for reading and maths –Cross-age with same-age –Separate and mixed approaches –Intensive and light approaches

13. Factorial Design Cross age vs same age Maths versus reading versus both Intensive versus light

14. Allocation for forms of peer learning 120 schools agreed to be randomly assigned A few more have since agreed Details of procedure in paper.

15. Strategic Authority Decisions Commitment Funding Ethics School Support Parental support Councillors Timing

16. So far The project is running A few schools have backed away from random allocation Project is running enthusiastically Exploratory data collected soon Fingers crossed.

17. Issues Getting the project going –Idea to implementation took years Coordination of three groups Persuading schools Leekage Maintaining momentum What are we evaluating?