This research by the University College London (UCL) Institute of Education shows that primary school children who are placed in the bottom ability group in their class go on to show increased levels of hyperactivity and emotional problems throughout childhood and early adolescence.
The research, which examined the impact of ability grouping at the age of seven on children in UK schools, is based on analysis of data from more than 7,000 pupils, who were periodically assessed for peer, emotional, hyperactivity, and behaviour problems up to the age of 14.
Researchers found that children in the lower ability in-class groups showed more hyperactivity and emotional problems during the study period, compared with children who were not taught in ability groups. Children in the middle ability groups showed more hyperactivity than those not in groups, while top-set children were less likely to show signs of hyperactivity than non-grouped children.
The study is significant because ability or attainment grouping is widely used in UK schools, with nearly four in five (79%) of primary schools using in-class ability grouping for seven-year-olds.
Pupils with similar levels of attainment are grouped together on tables, but all pupils are taught by their usual teacher and support staff, and they usually follow the same curriculum but at different levels of difficulty to ensure all pupils have an appropriate level of challenge.